Ebony & Ivory
by Nayru Elric
Summary: Music has always been Yuichiro's escape from the world, but when he hears someone playing the piano in the music room one day, a blond transfer student he hadn't previously paid any mind to before, why is he suddenly drawn to this person? Maybe music isn't the only thing Yuu cares about after all. MikaYuu.
1. Walk Alone

**Summary:** Music has always been Yuichiro's escape from the world, but when he hears someone playing the piano in the music room one day, a blond transfer student he hadn't previously paid any mind to before, why is he suddenly drawn to this person? Maybe music isn't the only thing Yuu cares about after all.

* * *

Chapter I: **Walk Alone**

* * *

Music blared through his headphones, huge gaudy things made of tinted-blue chrome. Yuichiro Amane chewed pink bubblegum as he listened to one of his favorite punk rock artists, making his way down a sidewalk toward the apartment complex where his parents lived.

Backpack slung over one shoulder, tapping the screen of his Apple iPhone, Yuu blew a bubble in his gum. His head lifted as he turned the corner and looked into the string of charred apartment buildings, stopping dead in his tracks.

Oh. He'd forgotten. Where his parents _used to_ live.

Yuichiro popped his bubblegum, pocketed his phone, pulled the other strap of his backpack around his shoulder with a huff, and turned back to the street.

That's right. He was an orphanage kid now. It had been almost two years since he'd been moved, and yet sometimes Yuu found himself back at his old home, wondering what he was going to find in the cupboards to make himself for dinner.

Cars whirred by, kicking up icy wind that stirred Yuu's raven bangs around his face and ears in the crisp autumn air as he walked down another road, then another. Eventually he arrived at the white-stone building that read "Hyakuya Orphanage" above the door. The sun was disappearing on the horizon, giving way to a deep violet sky. The building was on the exact opposite side of the city from the old apartment complex, in a high-end location, with huge mahogany doors and a big brass knocker, stone on all sides. No wonder it'd taken him hours to walk there from his old home.

There was no backdoor Yuichiro could use to try to sneak in, being in the city. Even so, Yuu opted not to utilize the doorbell or brass door knocker on the front, and muted the volume of his music as he crept inside. He slipped his headphones around his neck and closed the door quietly behind him. Seeing the light on in the kitchen, catching a whiff of something being cooked, Yuu hoped the cold gust of air from the front door didn't give him away. He kicked off his shoes in the genkan and set them against the wall next to the a dozen others. He tip-toed across the wood floor of the foyer and up the spiral stairs, but stepped on one of the three creaky steps before the top, and it was all for naught. The Director emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron and smiling at him with her pleasant, round face. "Yuichiro, you're home later than usual."

Yuu tried not to let his disappointment in her discovery of him appear in his expression. "Yeah, I got lost on the way."

The Director tilted her head forward with knowing, sympathy lining her wrinkly eyes. She knew where Yuu winded up the majority of the time while walking back from school. The pity on her face made Yuu's gut twist ruefully, but he was sure not to let it show. "Well..." she said, glancing back at the kitchen. Yuu waited in agony, expecting her to ask him to help with dinner. "I've already prepared everything that I can, so would you call the other kids down? They should come running if you tell them we're having macaroni and cheese."

Yuu nodded. "Sure. Also, Director..." She turned back toward him, eyebrows slightly raised in question. "...I'm not hungry, so you guys can eat without –"

"Don't be silly," she cut him off lightly, shooing a hand to the floor. "I won't have any foster son of mine going a night without a meal. I'll be waiting for you all," she called as she disappeared back into the kitchen.

Yuu sighed an "okay," then ventured the rest of the way up the stairs. He found most of the younger kids playing in the toy room-slash-game room on the upper level and told them about dinner – and told them to find and tell Kouta and Taichi about dinner before they sat down. Yuu made his way to his own room, – thank god he had his own private room (with its own bathroom and everything), – threw his backpack at the wall, and immediately jumped into bed despite the Director saying that he had to join them for dinner. The covers were still thrown back from when he woke up for school that morning. He pulled his headphones over his ears again and, scrolling through his list of albums on iTunes, flipped on something more soothing than what he'd been playing earlier. He was already dozing off when something poked his arm, startling him out of sleep. Yuu jolted and yanked his headphones off to see Akane standing above him, a scowl on her face.

"Hey, aren't you coming to dinner?"

Yuu glared at her, embarrassed by his earlier panicked reaction. "No, I'll eat later," he mumbled, turning toward the wall and about to pull his headphones back over his ears when he felt Akane's hand on his shoulder.

"Yuu, I know you haven't exactly been having the greatest time here," said Akane, "but you aren't the only one who's had it rough. Take Fumie for example –"

"I've asked you not to call me 'Yuu,'" Yuichiro spat indignantly, shooting Akane a glare out of the corner of one citrine eye. "And don't talk to me about what those little kids think of the real world. They don't know anyth –!"

"Don't you dare act like you've had it worse here than anyone else!" Akane shouted angrily, fists clenched at her sides.

"Why should I?" Yuu asked. "They aren't the ones who have to do all the housework when the Director is gone."

Akane stamped her foot. "And neither do you! Both of us have to do it! Just come down for dinner like you've been asked, you jerk!" she yelled, moving toward the door in long, aggravated strides.

"Sure, sure," Yuu mumbled. He turned up his music as Akane slammed the door. _Ahh, sweet noise... such bliss..._

Yuu had listened to music all his life. When his parents had been screaming at each other in the other room, knocking things over, putting holes in the walls, at least Yuu had had Led Zeppelin and a pair of earbuds to block them out. At least he'd been able to slip outside onto the roof and back again before either of them noticed (most nights), observing the nighttime people on the nighttime streets with nothing but his MP3 Player and the moon as his witness.

Life was so different now that he wasn't with them. There was no more noise. And yet... he couldn't stand it, the silence.

It was always the same drag. Other people were always deciding things for him; where he lived, what he was doing... as if he was just watching his life happen through the glassy window of his eyes. Now he had a "family" who actually acted like one at the Hyakuya Orphanage, but being the oldest kid there, Yuu was treated more like an adult, often forced to take care of the smaller kids, always looked to by them when they needed help. Yuu didn't even know what he was doing most of the time himself.

With _Viva la Vida_ blasting between his ears, Yuu closed his eyes, soaking up every word.

One day, he'd get away from it all, and live a life free of everyone else, without anyone to dictate what he could and couldn't do, only surrounded by his music, deciding the kind of places he wanted to go, the kind of people he wanted to live with, the kind of life he wanted to lead...

A life like that, deciding what to do without anyone else... well... it would be just perfect.

* * *

 **~Animato~**

* * *

"You look like a train wreck, Amane," commented Shiho the moment he spotted Yuu at his desk the following day.

"Thanks, Kimizuki," Yuichiro answered grumpily, turning toward the window. That morning, Akane had given Yuu another one of her lectures before heading off for school. Since some of the Hyakuya kids were old enough, he saw some of them at the high school (and avoided them as often as was possible). Somehow, they always seemed to find him in the hallways.

"Hi, Yuu," Yoichi greeted before he sat on the opposite side of the room. Yuu waved a hand to him as he yawned.

The high-strung professor walked in shortly thereafter. "All right class, let's begin. What do you all remember from last week?"

Before anyone could answer or even raise their hand, the sliding door clattered open, and in walked the transfer student from – well whatever country it was. He was just about the only blond kid in the entire junior class who hadn't used dye to make his hair that way – the amount of orange and redheads in the school outweighed the number of foreign students with naturally light hair color by a landslide.

The professor crossed his arms as the blond crossed the room. Then, in a clipped tone, he said, "Shindo."

"Hi," said the blond, not even bothering to look the professor in the eye as sat at the desk a few rows in front of Yuichiro.

The professor rolled forward and back on the balls of his feet for a moment as the transfer student took out his books and pencils. "That's the third tardy you've had this month, Shindo," the professor stated impatiently. Without waiting for a reply, "I'm going to have to write you up for that one. One more and your parents will hear about this. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Anyway, back to what I was saying..."

Yuu yawned again as the professor scribbled quadratics on the whiteboard. _That foreign kid... what's his name again?_ Yuu wondered. He flipped a page of his textbook, shrugging. _Eh, whatever..._

Yuichiro ate lunch in the classroom with Shiho, Yoichi, and the pair of misfit girls who kind of drifted between groups in the class, Shinoa and Mitsuba. Yuu didn't know what to make of those two most of the time, but they stuck around his trio of friends more than anyone else and were friendly – friendly enough.

Setting down his neatly-made bento box and eating utensils, Shiho asked, "So, have any of you though about what career you want to pursue yet?"

Mitsuba nearly spit her limeade all over her lap. "Have we ' _thought about_ ' it?!" she burst. "It's all anyone talks about! Especially now that we're juniors!"

"Hey, I'm being serious," said Shiho. "This is something we need to figure out by the end of this year."

To his left, Shinoa let out a laugh. "Career? I don't think so. Someone as carefree as me doesn't really think that far ahead."

Yoichi said, "Right now we're mostly focusing on trying to decide on a college, don't you think?"

Shiho nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"So, have you decided on one?" Yoichi asked him.

Shiho thought for a moment. "It's not really definite yet... but I do think I know what I want to be."

"And what's that?" Yuu asked, voice muffled by the rice he crammed in his throat.

Shiho shrugged and pushed up his glasses, leaned back in his seat. "A surgical doctor, maybe."

Yuu grinned devilishly. "Oh really? Sounds too prestigious for you."

"I didn't ask your opinion!"

Shinoa giggled. "He's right, Kimizuki. That job wouldn't really suit someone as uncoordinated as you."

"H-hey!"

"I think I might want to be a botanist," Yoichi chimed in, saving Shiho from further teasing.

"You'd be good at that job," Mitsuba agreed.

"Yeah, your soft personality would be perfect for that," said Shinoa. "I can definitely see you as a plant person."

Yoichi chuckled a little. "Uh, thank you...?"

Looking toward Mitsuba who was shoveling breaded shrimp into her mouth, Shinoa prodded, "What about you, Mitsu~?"

Mitsuba shot Shinoa a momentary glare from the patronizing nickname, then put a hand to her chin, chewing thoughtfully. "Mmmm... probably..." She swallowed. "A policewoman?"

"Ahh, I can already see it!" Shinoa declared, hugging herself and leaning back and forth in her seat. "Mitsu fighting crime and carrying damsels in distress from burning buildings! Ah haa~!"

Mitsuba's face lit pink with embarrassment. "Wh-why, you –!"

"That sounds more like a fireman than a policeman," Shiho inputted.

Shinoa shrugged at him. "The point was made."

"What about you, then?" Mitsuba demanded Shinoa. "What are you gonna be?"

"Me?" Shinoa batted her eyelashes innocently at Mitsuba – who tried to ignore her. "Mmm... how about... I become your subordinate policewoman?"

"Th-that's not funny!" Mitsuba exclaimed, pounding a fist on the desk beside her.

Shinoa laughed, snatching the arm holding Mitsuba's chopsticks and pulling it close to her chest. "Ohhh, Mitsu, you should know that I'll follow you wherever you go~!"

"St-stop that!" she cried, face growing redder by the second.

"Ah hahaha~!"

Yoichi, Shiho, and Yuichiro turned away from the two girls to focus back on their lunches. In mid-bite, Yoichi jumped a little in his seat and faced Yuichiro. "Wait! Yuu?"

"Hmmm?" Yuu was chewing on a piece of chicken.

"What do you want to do for a career?"

Swallowing quickly, Yuu flew one hand to his chest, trailing sauce all down his school uniform as he answered. "A pop music artist, of course."

They waited.

"Wait, are you being serious about that?" Shiho asked.

"Yeah, I am," said Yuu.

Shiho blinked. "...What the hell?"

"What?!"

Shiho turned to Yoichi. "Honestly, can you see _him_ being able to do _anything_ in the realm of _art_? Let alone _music_?!"

Yoichi slurped up his noodles and laughed nervously. "W-well..."

"Be honest, Yoichi," Yuu said, leaning toward him. "Would it really be that incredible?"

Yoichi looked between them. "U-umm..."

"Oh ho~?" said Shinoa, catching wind of the conversation and finally letting go of Mitsuba – who exhaled in exhaust, happy to be off of Shinoa's hook. "What's this? Yuichiro wants to become a pop singer?"

"Pop artist," Yuu corrected. "There's a difference. I know I can't sing worth shit."

"Even still," Shiho cut in. "You? Make music?" He crossed his arms. "I can't see it."

"Hey now, don't be so mean to him," said Shinoa. She scooted closer to Yuichiro and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, making Yuu raise an eyebrow at her. "Our little Yuu here might have more talent than we know!"

"Yeah, like his knack for wandering the streets all the time?" Mitsuba asked, unamused.

Shinoa lifted her chin, a finger in the air. "Precisely!"

"Okay, okay, I get it," said Yuu, shoving Shinoa's arm off his shoulders. "I know something like that isn't... exactly a realistic goal, especially for someone like me –"

"Really? Tell me more," Shiho deadpanned.

Yuu ignored him. "– but this is something that I feel like I should pursue, more than anything else. It's one of the only things that I'm sure of more than anything else in my life, okay?"

A collective exhale passed around the circle of friends. It _was_ rare to see Yuu get passionate about something that didn't piss him off. "Okay," said Shinoa, "it's better than Kimizuki wanting to become a surgeon."

"Not cool," Shiho mumbled at her.

"Thanks," Yuu said. And he really meant it. Even if the orphanage sucked, the friends he'd gained since he transferred there were worth it more than anything else.

Still, they didn't understand... None of them had been raised the way he had – which was a good thing of course. He would only offhandedly mention his parents sometimes and the others never asked directly. They knew something was up; they knew he had been taken to an orphanage by child services when he transferred two years ago. No one dared to bring it up though, which was fine by Yuu. It separated him from them.

After class ended for the day, Yuu was assigned to help clean the music room with a group of girls he barely knew. He swept dust from the closets of synthesizers and electric guitars, grumbling internally, _That Kimizuki and Shinoa, saying I wouldn't be suited for a musical career..._ He snapped the dustpan shut, moving on to another section of the floor. _I'll become a pop music artist if it's the last thing I do! It's not like I have anything else to look forward to with everyone deciding everything for me, everything staying the same..._

"Um, Amane?"

Yuu looked up to see the four girls helping him all coalesced at the doorway. "Huh?"

The girl who'd spoken hesitated. "W-we're in the archery club, and, well..." She glanced at the other girls in her group. "There's something the captain wanted us to pick up at the store for today's meet, so –"

"So you want me to finish cleaning up by myself?" Yuu finished for her.

Her brow furrowed with apology. "I'm sorry if it's inconvenient for you! I promise we're not trying to get out of helping you clean the music rooms!"

Yuu tried to flash a grin at them but it turned out all twitchy and weird so he decided against it. "That's all right. You've already helped me with all of it except dusting the piano. I'll be fine."

The girls' faces lit with bright smiles, and they gave him hasty half-bows. "Thank you very much! Well then, see you!"

Yuu watched as their backs turned into the hallway and then trotted down the hall, shoes clicking, leaving him in silence. Always the silence... By the sound of it, everyone else was either already heading home or at their extracurriculars for the afternoon. Yuu sighed. _Yeah, someday I'll become a pop artist... the greatest sensation ever to hit the shelves..._ He continued to sweep the floors of the music room. _Until then, I'm stuck here sweeping up dust bunnies..._

Floor clean and dustpan full, Yuu left the music room to replace his broom with a wet rag for wiping off the piano. He was retrieving it from the closet when he heard a noise coming from the music room. Or it wasn't so much a noise, but a sound. Music. Coming from the piano.

He approached the room quietly, wholly entranced. It was unlike any music he had ever heard before: heavy and hopeless, yet trenchant and beautiful... The notes set each other apart, rising and falling in waves of emotion that rolled off the walls of the empty, silent school.

Yuu didn't understand it. He'd heard classical music before. He'd heard piano music before. But this was unlike anything else he had ever experienced. This was deep and shallow, beautiful and ugly, loud and soft. Opaque, yet hidden...

He rose and fell, to sky and sea, then hovered there, then crescendoed into the heavens... He fell down slightly, ever so slightly, until he fell down, down, down into the eternal abyss... and yet there was still light. And it started again, rising and falling, rising and falling, with its contrasting inner and outer melodies, steady pace and wonderful sound, oh, such wonderful sound! What a wonderful sound! What wonderful music!

It descended again, rising and falling, rising and falling, hovering, gently, gently... to a place of eternal remembrance and eternal rest.

Yuu had completely forgotten what he was doing there, listening with such intensity to the meticulous tones. When suddenly it stopped. It all just stopped. Like Icaris, his wings were melted and he crashed to the ground, as the person at the piano stood.

Yuu flattened himself against the wall, hoping not to be seen. When the one who emerged was none other than the tardy transfer student, their eyes locked for a brief second. The blond, upon seeing Yuu and realizing that he had been listening the entire time, quickly hurried past, embarrassed.

"H-hold on!" Yuu called, stepping forward after him.

The blond jerked to a halt, slowly turning around.

"What was that?!" Yuu asked.

The blond murmured, "Uh, what?"

"That music! That song!" Yuu said, walking over to him, twisting the dampened rag in his hands. "What was it?!"

The transfer student's cerulean eyes darted at everything in the hallway, except at Yuu. Focusing on him for a moment, quietly, the blond mumbled, "Uh, _Moonlight Sonata_ by Ludwig van Beethoven."

Yuu shook his head in disbelief, emerald eyes alight with wonder. "Wow... I didn't know you could play."

The blond looked away, something about him offset. "Y-yeah, well... playing piano isn't exactly something you can go around telling people, unlike other instruments..."

Yuu cocked his head to one side. "Why d'you say that?" he asked.

Peeking curiously sideways at Yuichiro, the blond answered, "Well, most other instruments are always accompanied by a band or orchestra. Pianists are mainly soloists. We create music unlike any other, all on our own... Besides," he added, shrugging a little, – almost sullenly, – "most people don't appreciate piano music anymore. Not like that, anyway. It's all about hiphop and pop songs now."

Yuu felt his stomach drop. Because that's exactly what he was. He didn't want the blond to know that. "Yeah... I guess you're right..."

"Well, I really should be getting home –" he said abruptly, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Yuu called again, reaching after him. For the second time, the blond halted, his somewhat fearful gaze turning back toward Yuu. When he realized that he didn't know why he had called for the transfer student again, more or less sheepishly, Yuu admitted, "I never caught your full name."

The blond paused. "Shindo Mikaela."

"Mikaela," Yuu repeated slowly, testing the mix of foreign syllables on his tongue.

The blond laughed at Yuu's ineptitude – a sound that had Yuu captivated in a way all by itself, though he wasn't quite sure why. "How about you just call me Mika?"

"Okay, Mika it is..." said Yuu, though surprised at the sudden familiarity of the nickname. "So then... I'll see you around, I guess?"

The blond nodded slightly, his eyes flickering momentarily toward the floor. "Yeah. I guess." Another moment passed and Mikaela continued down the hall. He seemed to leave with a quiet, solitary haste that only interested Yuichiro more.

"Wait, I still have to clean the piano..." Yuu realized. When he walked back into the tidy music room and to the piano with its cover open, Yuu gazed upon the black and white keys with a new sense of mind.

Maybe he was still under the influence of Mikaela's beautiful playing, but it was almost as if the keyboard of ebony and ivory glowed intensely with the remnants of a vibrantly alive, albeit sorrowful song.

* * *

 **I would just like to say right now that I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing or where this is going or if I'll even continue it at the present time. (Ahh, why did I write yet another MikaYuu fic when I have so many other things I need to be doing?!)**

 **I've never really written an AU this seriously before, so I hope you liked it! Please don't forget to tell me what you thought~!**


	2. October Sky

Chapter II: **October Sky**

* * *

"Yuuuuuu~!"

On cue, Shinoa, Mitsuba, Yoichi, and Shiho turned around together at the bubbly voice down the hall while Yuichiro balked in place. _Oh, no._

"Here comes your new friend again," stated Shiho.

Slowly, Yuu turned as well, forcing his face as a mask of neutral countenance. His stomach clenched as he watched the blond transfer student Mikaela Shindo coming his way. "Yuuuu~!" he called again.

Though they'd only met a few days ago, already the blond referred to Yuichiro by his first name – and an obnoxious, cutesy nickname at that. "Hi, Mika," Yuu greeted, trying not to sound too drained or ticked-off. The others caught onto his stiffness.

"My, my," crooned Shinoa from beside him. "'Yuu~'? How cute."

"You and Yoichi call me that too; it doesn't mean anything!" Yuu whispered furiously to her.

"True, but we don't attach such a cute honorific to it," Shinoa muttered laughingly, a hand over her mouth as Mikaela approached.

"Could you stop calling me that?" Yuu asked Mika as he came to a stop in front of him.

Clutching his school bag with both hands before him, slightly out of breath, Mika tilted his head and smiled. "But Yuu, you call me 'Mika.' It wouldn't be fair for me to have to call you by your full name."

Behind Yuichiro, Shinoa and Mitsuba giggled. Gritting his teeth, shoulders set high, Yuu said angrily to Mikaela, – who was giving him a seemingly innocent gaze, – "I'll call you by your last name, then!"

Shiho said, "Amane, we're going on ahead."

"Have fun~" Shinoa said as she, Mitsuba, and Yoichi waved good-bye.

Feeling completely abandoned, Yuu whipped around toward them. "W-wait, guys –!" _Don't leave me alone with this idiot!_ His mind scrambled for a reason to leave with them, but anything he could think of sounded too fake and obvious even by his own standards to someone as annoying as Mikaela.

"Hey, Yuu," Mika said, lifting one finger after they'd left, "I remember you saying you live on the west side of Tokyo, so I was wondering if –"

"Listen, Mika," said Yuichiro, turning back to him.

Mikaela blinked, stopped mid-sentence. "Hm?"

Yuu was caught off-guard by Mika's cluelessness, but continued nonetheless. "I know you mean well and all, but when we first met in the music room after I heard you play piano, I wasn't expecting you to be so... clingy," he said, choosing his words carefully. Though he thought "clingy" was probably one of the worst things he could have said at that moment – not as bad as "annoying," however. For a moment, Yuichiro was worried that he'd succeeded in hurting Mikaela's feelings with the way his entire stature seemed to shrink at the remark. When Mika lifted his head, he smiled again. "But of course, Yuu. Where are my manners?"

 _Uhg, that smile,_ Yuu groaned in his mind. Mika's constant smiles irritated Yuichiro to no end, now knowing how much Mika captivated everyone around him with them – especially the girls in their class. Mika placed one hand on his chest and trilled in an eloquent voice, "My dear Sir Yuichiro, will'st thou permit me to call upon thee by thy first name or, more preferably, by thy fitting nickname, 'Yuu~'?"

"How many times do I have to say it?!" Yuu bellowed, this time not bothering to hide the exasperation in his voice. "I don't want you to call me that, and I mean _never!_ "

Mika asked quickly, "But that's what your sister calls you, isn't it?"

"Sister?!" Yuu repeated. "I don't have a... Wait, do you mean Akane?!"

"See, I knew it," said Mikaela, ignoring Yuu's temper. He thrust his chin into the air dignifiedly. "Yuu only wants his cute little sister to call him 'Yuu' because he's a pervert."

Yuu's ears immediately lit red with embarrassment. "PERVERT?!"

Mika continued as if Yuu hadn't cawed higher and louder than a rooster at dawn. "Well, I say if she can call you 'Yuu,' then so can –"

"Akane isn't my sister!" Yuu interrupted loudly, regathering his wits. He was doing his best to keep his cool, but it wasn't working. _Where are my friends to back me up when I need them?_ Grumpily, Yuu answered himself, _Probably already halfway home by now._

Mika paused again. "Oh... So Akane's your girlfriend?"

Yuu blurted out, "N-NO! THAT'S NOT –!"

Mikaela sighed. "You know, Yuu, it's immoral to take advantage of girls so much younger than you," he scolded. "I should report you to the school board for –"

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND –" Mika opened his mouth to say something else. "– JUST LISTEN TO WHAT I'M SAYING, YOU IDIOT!" shouted Yuu, flailing his arms and, in turn his bag, in the air. By now the volume of Yuu's voice had caught the attention of many other students who were leaving school for the day. Yuu waited until everyone turned back to their business while Mikaela's cerulean eyes pored into him with triumph, dancing with victory in setting Yuu off.

When they were again having a private conversation, Mika pressed, somewhat disinterestedly, "Then?"

Yuu avoided Mika's triumphant gaze. "She's my... foster sister, okay?" he muttered.

Something in Mikaela's victorious stance changed then. "Foster sister..."

"Yeah," said Yuu. _Jeez, when I befriended Mikaela I didn't know he was all annoyingly flirty and sarcastic,_ sighed his internal voice. _Probably shoulda known with the way the girls are always flocking around him. Pisses me off, to think the same idiot who created such beautiful music is nothing more than the flirty, popular kid._ Yuu fumed a little in place just thinking about it, then slung his book bag over his shoulder as he faced the school's exit. "Well, I'm going to catch up with my friends, so –"

"Do you like it there, at your foster home?" Mikaela asked suddenly.

The question came out of nowhere so that Yuu was unable to hide his surprise – that, and the sincerity, devoid of jocularity, in Mika's eyes. One of Yuu's hands flew to scratch the back of his head, green eyes slightly wide and focused on the lockers on the wall. He stood frozen between Mikaela and the door. "W-well... I wouldn't say that I don't like it. I mean, it's better than living with my parents, but..." Yuu trailed off.

Mikaela shifted in his school shoes. "Your parents? What were they like?"

"They were –" Yuu cut himself off. What _were_ they like? It was such an odd thought. Despite all the transfers between different housings like the police station, all the sympathetic adults who told him that his life would be so much better... For sure, Yuu didn't like his parents, – how loudly they fought at night, how they pushed him around for being in the way, treating him like trash... if he was completely honest... being at the orphanage wasn't a whole lot better. "They weren't good people," Yuu managed in a subdued voice, his mind's eye still gazing into his past – the yelling as a fight between his parents escalated into the wee hours of the morning, and Yuu, crouching against a wall with his hands over his ears, echoing every beat and syllable of _Pictures of You_ as they rang in his mind, in perfect succession, tears streaming down his face, jolting when he heard something pound against the wall and break... "They didn't really care about me," said Yuu, "so I never really felt anything for them. But still, I..." Yuu felt Mikaela's inquisitive blue eyes still on him and bit his lip, corrected his slouching stance. "Just forget it," he said. "A preppy kid like you wouldn't understand."

Yuu wasn't sure if Mikaela had said something or he only imagined it, but when Yuu turned completely toward him, Mikaela was grinning, so Yuu figured he must not have heard right after all. "That musta been hard, Yuu. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Y-yeah, thanks..." said Yuu. It wasn't the reaction he'd expected, – most assured him that things would be better now that he wasn't with his parents rather than accepting what he had said. Yuu wasn't given any time to think on it however, for then Mika walked past him, out of the school. As Yuichiro followed him down the front steps of the school, they were hit by a gust of chilly autumn wind that made Yuu's school uniform billow beneath him. "Jeez, it's cold," he commented.

Mika eyed him a little humorously, then asked, "So, I take it that you _don't_ want to come with me to the music store?"

Yuu looked at Mikaela in question. "Music store? What music store?"

"It's only a few blocks from the area you said you lived," said Mika.

"Oh really? What do they have?" Yuu asked as they rounded the corner into the school's property. He almost started heading the opposite direction, and thankfully corrected himself before Mikaela could ask why.

"Pianos, mostly," said Mika, facing the sidewalk, once again holding his bag with both hands in front of him. "Lots and lots of pianos. But they also have a bunch of electric stuff that you might be interested in. Stuff like synthesizers and beat boxes for auto-tuning."

"Wait, seriously?!" Yuu burst, curiosity lighting his eyes. "That's awesome! Maybe I can finally start my career as a pop artist...!"

Mikaela noticed the way Yuu's features lit with passion and raised an eyebrow at him. "Pop artist? What?"

 _Shit! I still haven't told him that I'm more into heavy metal and hiphop instead of classical!_ Yuu realized."Uh, yeah, I have this ambition to make my own music one day," he said quickly. "Crazy, huh?" Yuu laughed nervously, hoping Mikaela would take it more as a joke.

Mika's lips formed into an exaggerated childish pout. "I don't see the appeal of music that has the same five notes repeated ten times, you know, Yuu."

"You don't have to like it," Yuu told him, "but it's what I like, and that's enough for me."

Mikaela chuckled a little. "Right. If you enjoy listening to those American pop star songs that only sing about breakups and sex, who am I to tell you differently?"

"H-hey, I haven't made fun of _your_ taste in music," Yuu stammered angrily. "So don't make fun of mine. I can like whatever I want."

"You're right, you _can_ like whatever you want, but what you like still sucks."

"H-hey –!"

"We're here."

Mika held the door open for Yuu, who gaped at the scene inside. "Whoa...!" Guitars, pianos, amplifiers, and drum kits of all shapes, sizes, and colors were spread out and showcased around them. There were vinyls, there were tape records, iPods, string instruments and band instruments – they had anything and everything one could possibly name. "I've never seen so much music tech in my life!" Yuu exclaimed. He turned toward Mikaela. "How did I not know this place was here?!"

Mika shrugged. "I dunno. I take it you're going straight to the electric beat boxing section? Or maybe you'll look for an affordable copy of the Garage Band software?"

As Yuu walked forward, he marveled at every musical instrument polished to perfection on the floor. "What _don't_ they have here?!"

A man bowed to them from the front desk. "Welcome. Is there anything I can help you boys find today?"

Mika looked to Yuichiro. "Yuu?"

He looked up from the amplifier he'd been inspecting. "Hmwhat? Oh, no, I'm just looking for right now." He crouched down to the 69 × 76-centimeter amplifier.

"I forgot to ask, Yuu. Do you play any instruments? Maybe guitar?"

"Nah, I just really like music, so I wanna make my own."

"...You want to make complicated – well, or not complicated pop music to sell and play on the radio, and you don't even know how to play an instrument?" Mikaela asked, unconvinced.

"Hey, I know the basics and how to read notes and stuff. I'll be able to figure the rest out when I get my own place and tinker around a bit."

"You're so uncoordinated."

"Maybe. Whoa! What's that room over there?!" Yuu ran toward an enclosed room with glass doors positioned by many others full of guitars and other traditional stringed instruments. Except this room was full of electric pianos and synthesizers – sometimes a mix of both – that blinked ominously in the darkened space like a room full of modern industrial computers. Yuu brazenly pulled the door open and rushed inside with Mika following. "Wow," Yuu said, staring at the red, blue, and green lights of the systems reflecting off the boards' keys. He stood aside, gesturing to one of the pianos. "Mika, play something."

Mika was reluctant. "Wh-what?"

"Play something! I wanna hear how one of your songs sounds on one of these pianos!"

"Electric pianos," Mika corrected. "There's a difference."

"Ahh, whatever! Just play something!"

Though he was still hesitant, Mika eventually caved in. He set his book bag against the side of the electric piano before them and sat at the bench. As he lifted his hands and placed them delicately on the smooth black and white keys, Yuu unknowingly drew in a breath of anticipation. "Step back a little," said Mika.

His voice startled Yuu. "Huh?"

"I can't concentrate with you breathing down my neck," Mikaela explained, barely glancing at him.

Yuu did as he was instructed. "This far enough, bossy?"

"Yes! Thanks, Yuu~" Mika answered overly cheerfully. Yuu was going to retort, but then sound resonated throughout the dark room of flickering lights.

It started slow, with rapid notes that rattled back and forth in similarity. When Mikaela moved higher, the song rose in progression, setting apart the gradual intro from the dynamic mid-section with clear intones amid the outer. Yuu watched as Mikaela's pale fingers traced along the ivory keys with a gracefulness Yuu had never seen in anyone before. He noticed Mika's eyes were half shut and relaxed, glazed by some sort of ancient power that Yuu could not quite place.

Mikaela's fingers danced up and down the keyboard in strings of sound that were chaotic but sounded clear at the same time. The song pulsed ever louder and faster as Mikaela continued, until it was all Yuu could hear, above even the hum of all the technology in the room – above his own thoughts. Mika settled on the lower section, playing louder and louder, driving home the comely melody over and over, until the chaos resounded again, going softer and slow... with the rhythm at the beginning, at peace again and no longer raging with such beauty and desire. He carried on, the loneliness of the notes stretching longer and higher, until quieting to a slow, yet shuddering still.

Like before, Yuu felt as if he was being lifted out of water, or awoken from a dream in deep sleep when Mikaela had finished playing. Mika's arms rose from the keys and back down to his sides, and the song was done. He turned around.

"...What was that?" Yuu asked. His voice sounded so lost, even to himself.

Mika had already returned to his usual bouncy self however. " _Love Dream_ by Franz Liszt."

"Right," said Yuu. He still didn't move for another few seconds. "How do you play like that?" he asked suddenly.

Mikaela's expression didn't give anything away. "Like what?"

 _Like you've unlocked all the secrets of the universe, you haughty idiot,_ Yuu wanted to say."With so much... freedom," he chose instead.

Like before, Mikaela hesitated. Something about the topic seemed to make him uneasy; Yuu took note of that. "Well," he said slowly, "I don't know if it's the same, but..." Eventually, Mika's eyes found Yuu's. "I guess you could say that music means a lot to me too."

For a moment, Yuu thought he saw something else besides the reflection of all the electric piano lights in Mika's eyes. It soon disappeared, leaving Yuu to question his perception once again.

Mikaela stood. "We're here to find you some good pop music tech though, right? We should go back out onto the main floor."

Yuu caught himself rudely staring and quickly looked away, turning around. "Y-yeah, you're right." He set his hands upon the handle and hurried back through the door.

* * *

 **~Fermata~**

* * *

An hour later of being grilled by the music store owner on the intricacies of a particular drum kit, Yuu and Mika exited the store in the setting sun empty-handed. Although the store was large and not lacking in any aspect of playing or creating music, Yuu would have to save up to buy the beat-boxing kit he wanted at another time.

"Thanks for telling me about that store," Yuu said, this time holding the door for Mikaela as they left the store. "I saw a lot of stuff in there that I'm hoping I'll be able to buy later, with any luck."

Mika turned to smile at Yuu as another gust of wind struck them. "Jeez! It's already so cold and it's only the beginning of October!" Mika complained, drawing his arms closer to his chest.

"True that," Yuichiro agreed. Their shadows were elongated on the sidewalk, surrounded by golden light of the setting sun. "Say, Mika, how far do you live from here?"

"About twice the distance from here to the school. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, well, I was wondering if maybe you... would want to see where I live... in the orphanage."

"The lovely orphanage that you love so much?" Mika asked sarcastically.

Yuu laughed a little. "Yeah, that's the one. So, what d'you say? And, if you want," he continued hastily, "you could even stay for dinner?"

Mikaela stopped where he was, forcing Yuu to stop too. His blond hair shadowed much of his expression, facing opposite from the western horizon of the flaming, sinking sunset.

"Mika?"

He started walking again, straight past Yuichiro. "I'm sorry. I can't. I'll see you tomorrow."

"M-Mika –?! Hey, wai –! Where are you going?!"

But Yuu couldn't catch up to Mikaela's jogging pace. The fierce winds swirled black hair around his vision, school clothes fluttering as he watched Mikaela disappear around a bend two blocks down, book bag swinging beside him.

Yuu blew out a huge breath of air, standing alone in the wind for another moment. The orphanage really wasn't that far from here at all. He faced the horizon and squinted at the sun.

Litter and tree leaves blew across his vision as Yuu walked, staring at the sidewalk. He kicked his shoes off in the genkan past the white-stone front door of the signed "Hyakuya Orphanage" and announced his arrival to no one in particular.

"Ah, Yuichiro, you're home much earlier today," said the Director, glancing behind her from the stove as Yuu walked into the kitchen and straight to the cupboard of glasses. "Didn't hang out with your friends that long today, hm?" she asked warmly.

"No," Yuu said, swallowing a gulp of water.

"My... what were you doing, then?"

For a brief moment, Yuu froze. "I... hung out with another friend of mine." _Friend? That doesn't sound exactly right._ Just a few hours ago, he'd been wondering how he was going to shake Mikaela off of him for good.

"Another friend?" inquired the Director, stirring something in the pot she had bristling over the stove. "Next thing I know, you'll be the most popular boy in school with all your friends."

 _Yeah right,_ Yuu thought as he climbed the stairs. _Mika's already so popular; he could pretty much make a personal request for any girl to go out with him!_

Yuu threw his bag and school jacket against the wall and slumped into bed in his white undershirt and pants. He laid there for ten minutes before the thought to dig his gaudy blue headphones out of his bag. Yuu tapped iTunes and flipped on _Savior_ by 30 Seconds to Mars as he sunk back down onto his unmade covers.

The door opened and a small voice piped from it. "Yuu! Dinner!"

"Don't call me that!" Yuu bellowed, but the voice – or rather, Kouta, – was already tripping over the others down the stairs.

Yuu wasn't crazy about joining them, but he definitely didn't want to be lectured by Akane at 7 A.M. the next day either. He remained unusually quiet all throughout dinner, despite the Director's and Akane's attempts to pull him into the conversation.

It wasn't until afterward, when Yuu tried to listen to some more screamo and found it annoying that he realized something was wrong. He slid his headphones around his neck, rubbing his forehead as he stared at the blank, white ceiling. Screamo was one of his favorite genres. Red was one of his favorite bands. He loved their music. He always had. Yuu had never, ever gotten sick of the intense rock guitar and bass before. What was wrong with him? What had changed?

Though he denied it, Yuu had a pretty good idea.

As he drifted into sleep, all he could hear were the soft, clear intones of _Love Dream_ , like raindrops falling from a cloudless October sky.

* * *

 **I still don't know what I'm doing, but I hope you like it! The only assured parameter I have for this story is that there will be a lot of MikaYuu later on, so do know that things will pick up... hopefully soon. (I love writing setup, even so, I don't know about you, but I'm getting really antsy over here!)**

 **I hope you liked the chapter! Please be sure to leave your thoughts on it below~~~**


	3. Baseless Fear

Chapter III: **Baseless Fear**

* * *

The bell pealed through the halls of the high school, signifying the end of class and the start of cleanup hour. Yuichiro practically pushed down the other students as he barreled toward the door, trying to reach it before Mikaela. "Mika! Hey! Mika!"

By the time Yuu was on the other side, looking both ways, Mikaela was already lost in the sea of students hurrying out of their homeroom classes, in groups toward the places they were assigned to clean. There wasn't a single fluffy blond head in sight.

A series of giggles erupted from behind Yuu. In the doorway, Shinoa's teasing voice inquired, "What's the matter, Yuu? Lose your new boyfriend~?"

Yuu reeled angrily on her, his shoulders elevated. "Shut up! Mika's not my boyfriend!"

Leaning against the doorway beside Shinoa with her arms crossed, Mitsuba raised an eyebrow. "Sure. I _definitely_ wouldn't think _that_ after the way you've been chasing him so earnestly every day."

Yuichiro clenched his fists at them and stepped forward. "Why, I oughta –!"

"C-calm down, Yuu, they didn't mean it," said Yoichi, crossing between a heated Yuichiro and the smothering cordial girls with both his hands in the air.

Yuu relaxed a little; he didn't want to clobber Yoichi in the process of trying to hit Shinoa over the head. "I swear, if you two don't stop calling Mika my boyfriend I'll smack _both_ of you to kingdom come!"

The girls were unfazed by Yuu's empty threats.

"Oh ho~?" Shinoa hummed at him, "What was that~? Does little Yuu _really_ think he can take on Mitsu and myself and _win?_ "

Mitsuba stood steadily on both feet as she faced Yuu with an unamused stare, one hand on her waist. She flipped two fingers toward herself provocatively. "Just try it, idiot."

Their reactions only made Yuichiro angrier. "WHAT DID YOU JUST –?!"

"C'mon, Yuu, they don't mean any harm!" Yoichi interjected more vehemently this time. He was pretty much the only thing barring Yuu from punching Shinoa's and Mitsuba's steady, taunting faces into the wall. Usually, it was Shiho the two girls fixated their teasing most devotedly upon, but with Yuichiro trying to catch a word with Mikaela every day before, after, or during class, they found it more fruitful to redirect their torment upon Yuu instead.

Before Shinoa or Mitsuba could egg Yuu on any more than they already had, Shiho came from the classroom with his bag over his shoulder and puffed out, "What happened, Amane? Didn't you want to be free of that Shindo kid just a few days ago?"

"Y-yeah," Yuu admitted, finally stepping back from the girls' complacent stares.

"So, then...?" Shiho waited expectantly for an answer, but Yuu wasn't going to give it.

"'So then' what?" Yuu mimicked Shiho mockingly. He was hoping to avoid any more teasing or questioning on the matter, and didn't want to say what was actually on his mind. Yuu did his best to hide his embarrassment from becoming prominent on his cheeks, and he must have done a fairly decent job, for Shiho and the rest only watched him for another moment.

"Well then~" said Shinoa, taking a deep breath. "I have to go sweep the main office. How about you, Mitsu?"

"The teachers' lounge. What about you guys?" she asked Yuu, Yoichi, and Shiho.

"The gymnasium."

"Homeroom B-3."

"The second hall," said Yuu.

"Meet you all at the usual place." Shinoa waved as they parted ways.

* * *

 **~Ziehen~**

* * *

Cleaning the hallways wasn't like cleaning any of the rooms, where you had to communicate with the other students to get the job done, so Yuu listened to some AC/DC with his tinted-blue chrome headphones pulled over his ears as he worked. Thankfully, Yuu's disdain toward Red's screamo and intense rock guitar solos had dissipated, but he still stuck to some of his hard rock music bands, in fear that he might come to dislike screamo again if he listened to it too much. _I haven't heard Mika play piano in a few days, so the effect has to be rubbing off of me,_ he assured himself. _It has to be._

As he jammed out to _Thunderstruck_ and swept the hall, he barely noticed the students gathered in the courtyard out the window to his right. When he glanced over, he recognized one of them immediately. Three girls left the courtyard, grinning at each other while the remaining student smiled and waved at them. Yuu threw his broomstick aside and scrambled toward the exit into the courtyard, one hall down. Rapid finger-picked notes of guitar still blasting from each speaker, Yuu pushed his headphones around his neck and burst through the door. "Hey! Mika!" Yuu called, bounding toward the blond.

Mikaela jolted upon hearing Yuu's loud, gruff voice call his name. Seeing as the only exit was now on the opposite side of the courtyard, he would have to cross Yuu to get there. So Mikaela could only wait for Yuu to reach him.

"What do you want?" Mika asked in a quiet voice, shooting Yuu an inimical stare.

"What do you mean, 'What do you want'?!" Yuu repeated, stopping in front of him. "You've been avoiding me for the last five days!"

"That's too bad." Mikaela didn't sound sorry at all. He tried to walk around Yuu toward the door back into the school, but Yuu stuck an arm out to block Mikaela's path. When Mika tried to walk around Yuu's arm, Yuu stepped in his way. Mika sighed. "Move, please," he requested sweetly. Behind his flowery tone was a deadly, murderous sort of aura.

"No way," said Yuu, ignoring the chill down his spine from Mikaela's crystalline glare. "I demand you to tell me why you're avoiding me."

"Why do you suddenly care whether I avoid you or not?" Not bothering to hide the venom in his tone, Mikaela spat, "You didn't want to be my friend anyway."

Yuu was surprised to hear Mika state it so bluntly. _He'd acted like such a clueless idiot before. I must have_ really _pissed him off with whatever I did._ Yuu swallowed uncomfortably. "I... changed my mind. About you."

Mikaela snorted.

"I'm being serious."

Mika wasn't amused. "Right. Cool. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've already finished weeding the courtyard, and would like to go home –"

" _Why_ are you always so anxious to get home?!" Yuu questioned loudly. His voice pitch rose a few notches with the inquiry as he shook his head in disbelief. "What was it that made you start avoiding me?! Just because I asked if you wanted to see the orphanage where I live?! Sorry for trying to be your friend a little late, but you were seriously annoying! And calling me that embarrassing, stupid nickname in front of all of my friends!"

This time, Mika used an overly sympathetic tone as he apologized, "Oh, poor baby Yuu, who can't even handle a little teasing so that he gets anal about everything! I'll be sure to tread _extra_ carefully around your baby feelings from now on –"

"H-hold it right there!" Breathing rapidly, Yuichiro blocked Mikaela's path as he tried to leave.

Once again, there was a deadly edge to Mika's voice as he turned his crystalline gaze upon Yuichiro. "You better move out of the way, Yuu."

Yuu didn't budge an inch. "Not until you promise to stop acting so weird and being such a jerk!"

Mika threw his blond head back and gave a wry laugh. "Weird? A jerk?! I don't know what you define as 'being a jerk,' Yuu, but I'd say it's pretty mean for you to want to be my friend just because of how I play piano, otherwise not caring at all!"

Yuu's face flushed with shame, his green eyes wide. "Wh-what was that?!"

"That's right," said Mikaela. He pointed directly at Yuichiro, his index finger piercing Yuu's chest. "You don't have anything else to be interested in since all you have is your little foster family –"

"WH-WHAT?!"

"– so now I'm the only one who gives you any kind of entertainment, is that it?!"

Yuichiro was unable to contain his fury any longer. He grabbed Mikaela's shoulders and shoved him with such force, screaming, "BASTARD!" Mikaela had grabbed onto him too, however, and they both toppled toward the ground, crashing into the bushes. Yuu grunted as he threw haphazard punches toward the ground where Mikaela was underneath him, but one of Mika's punches connected with Yuu's cheek, making his vision blacken for a split second long enough for Mikaela to gain the upper hand. He used his legs to pin Yuu underneath him, and in the midst of the scuffling, Yuu heard something snap underneath him. Confused at first at what the sound could have been, – since nothing on him felt broken, – a new rush of adrenaline and fury coursed through Yuu's veins when he realized what the sound had been.

His headphones. Still around his neck.

Yuu cried out in revitalized anger, clawing for a hold of Mikaela's throat, but Mika shook free of Yuu's hands and pressed them into the ground with both of his legs. Readying a fist to punch him in the face again, one of the girls who had been assisting Mikaela in weeding out the courtyard returned. Mika saw her and stopped his punch, not before Yuu landed a hit himself, and they were rolling through the foliage trying to choke the other. The girl hurried quickly to the main office to report them.

* * *

 **~Sotto~**

* * *

With his unkept, jet-colored hair and purposed lavender gaze, Principal Guren Ichinose of the sixth establishment of Hiiragi High stood before Yuu – who had a bloody nose and bruised cheeks – and Mikaela – who only had a few cuts and bruises on his neck and jaw. Both of their school uniforms were ruffled and dirtied from rolling around in the soil and bushes. "You two destroyed half of the courtyard with your little macho fight. What the _hell_ were you doing?"

"Sorry, Principal Ichinose," Mikaela mumbled. Neither he nor Yuu looked Guren in the eye.

Guren slammed one fist upon his desk, causing both of them to jump. "You'd better be sorry! What the hell were you two doing?! That kind of behavior will not be tolerated!" The man straightened himself, his hair, and his suit. "I expected better, especially from you, Amane." Yuichiro knew exactly what Guren was referring to, though he didn't say it. Two years ago, when Yuu was transferred from the district where his parents' apartment was located, to the Hyakuya Orphanage, it was Guren who had taken extra measures to ensure that Yuu would have a schedule that suited him, taking into account his tastes and all he had been through. Without Guren, Yuichiro probably wouldn't have found the ties he had with Yoichi, Shiho, Shinoa, and Mitsuba. Although he would only grudgingly admit it, Yuu was grateful for that.

"And you, Shindo," Guren said, turning his attention onto Mikaela, "I know neither of your parents are exactly fond of this school or my decisions, but I still expect the highest level of intellect from someone of your status. Have I made myself clear?"

Barely acknowledging Guren's stern gaze, Yuichiro and Mikaela nodded. Guren exhaled a sigh. "Right... Now, both of you will be suspended for a few days –"

Before he could even get the words completely out of his mouth, the principal's office exploded in shouts.

"H-hold on!" Yuichiro yelled, standing from his seat. "You don't need to suspend us!"

Mikaela stood as well. "We won't do it again!" he averred. "We'll help replant the bushes in the courtyard!"

" _Anything_ as long as you don't suspend us! Give us detention for a few months, or –!"

Guren held his hands up impatiently. "AH, AH, AH! Shut up! Both of you!"

Yuu and Mika quieted at once, still with defiant and desperate looks in their eyes. Guren seated himself at his desk and leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. "You two went against everything this school stands for, which is integrity and respect for one another. I've also noticed that both of your grades have been suffering ever since the start of the term, – not that yours were ever anything to brag about, Amane Yuichiro, – and Shindo, you've had too many tardies. There's obviously something you both need to sort out on your own, so think of it as an opportunity to set things right. Now, you're both dismissed."

Yuu still wouldn't back down. "Guren, you can't honestly believe that we'll just take it your sentence like obedient lambs, do y –?"

"Of course I do," Guren cut in from his desk's seat, overriding Yuu's voice in sheer volume. "I have the authority here, not you. Both of you need to stop thinking only of yourselves and learn to get along. So you're both suspended. For two days. See you later." He didn't look at either of them as he raised a hand in farewell.

Yuu groaned. Guren may as well have said: "Get the hell out of my office." Yuu knew there was no convincing Guren when he made up his mind. Yuichiro turned around and opened the door while Mikaela continued to glare at their principal, who was already busy flipping through the pile of paperwork on his desk. He was shocked to see Yuu leaving so soon and felt he had no choice but to follow him. "W-wait! Yuu?!"

Outside the main office, Mikaela grabbed Yuu's shoulder and turned him around. "Why didn't you stay with me to try to convince him to let us go, Yuu?!" he asked, irritated.

"Guren wouldn't have changed his mind no matter what we said," Yuu told him. "Trust me."

"I bet I could have made him," said Mikaela darkly. "Or at least have shortened our punishment."

"Doubt it," Yuu shot back with certainty.

Mikaela glowered at Yuichiro as if he'd taken it as a challenge. Yuu decided it best to drop the subject before Mika went charging back in there and ended up _lengthening_ their suspension instead. Guren really had no tolerance for "brats trying to make him change his mind." Yuu had tried before.

Though he hesitated to ask, Yuu went for it anyway. "Hey, what did Guren back there mean by 'someone of your status'?"

Mikaela looked ready to bolt the opposite direction from the single question alone.

Yuu amended, lifting his chin, "Fine, fine, I get it. You don't want me to know."

"Then stop asking," Mikaela snapped.

Yuu wanted to say something defensive in return, but he remembered what had gotten them into that fight in the first place. He knew what Mika had said about him – about only being his friend because he was entertaining and only had his foster family – was true. Nothing would be resolved this way, and though Yuu didn't really understand why quite yet, he really wanted to be Mikaela's friend. He took a different route.

"Look, I... I'm sorry I avoided you after I said we should become friends," Yuu apologized. He endeavored to hold Mikaela's gaze to let him know how truly sorry he was, but those boundless, cerulean irises unnerved Yuu too much to keep eye contact the entire time. Yuu found himself switching between Mikaela's face and the floor as he spoke, one hand flying to rub the back of his raven-haired head in awkwardness. "And I'm sorry if you feel like I only want to be your friend because I like the way you play piano. But I... really am glad that I heard you playing in the music room a week ago," he mumbled embarrassedly, entirely truthful. His hand fell back to his side. A little louder and with more confidence, he said, "I... I really do like hearing you play! And I'll try to be less... grouchy around you. Okay?"

Yuu waited for Mikaela to scrunch his nose in disgust and pretend to accept his apology, but instead, Mika's unmoving, cerulean eyes widened. Completely shocked, Mika offered his hand, and, tentatively, Yuichiro took it. "Sure," Mika said. "Yuu," he added, grinning a little.

Yuu was relieved to hear Mika use his cutesy nickname again. "Thanks. Mika."

* * *

 **~Poco a poco~**

* * *

Once they were released from helping clean up the courtyard, Mika extended his arms and stretched them over his head as they walked down the sidewalk outside the school. "So, what are you going to do with your two days off?"

"Oh, yeah..." Yuu said, as if just remembering. "I kind of don't want my foster mother to know about it... but... I guess there's no helping that. We get to have an extended weekend though. Oh yeah," Yuu said again, one finger lifting in the air, "my birthday is on Friday, so we'll probably be doing something at the orphanage then."

"Your birthday is on Friday? The sixteenth?"

"Yeah."

Mika murmured in thought. "I'll have to buy you something, then..."

"Wh-what?!" Yuu turned to look at him, green eyes wide. He waved his hands in the air. "N-no way! You don't need to buy me someth – we only just met a week ago!" Yuu blurted to Mikaela's displeased stare.

Disregarding his modesty, Mikaela sighed, "Really, though... I need to figure out a way to keep _my_ parents from figuring out I've been suspended."

"...Do you think they'll be really angry?" Yuu asked cautiously. He didn't want Mikaela to close up on him and run away again, but Yuu had to admit that he was more curious than scared to know what made someone as bubbly as Mikaela so terrified to be home on time.

Mika shrugged. "I'm not sure... It's hard to know with them." After an uneasy silence between the two, Mika asked, "Say, how did someone as grouchy as you come to befriend someone as polite as that Saotome kid?"

"You mean Yoichi? Well, I walked in at the wrong time while a group of delinquent guys were trying to bully him."

Mika smirked. "Oh~? So valiant and brave Yuu decided to assist weak, innocent Yoichi?"

Yuu chuckled. "Nah, nothing heroic like that. I was actually just pissed off that day and wanted to get back to the orphanage so I could sleep."

"'Pissed off that day'?" said Mika. "But Yuu, that's you everyday."

"Alright," Yuu agreed, nodding a little, "I was pissed off more than usual. Can't remember why. The delinquents were in my way out of the bathroom by the time I'd finished my business so I shoved them and Yoichi ended up following me around after that. It took me a few weeks to warm up to Yoichi's skittish personality, but it wasn't long after him that Kimizuki and Mitsuba joined our group..."

"What about the purple-haired girl?" Mika asked.

"Shinoa was... kind of like my surveillance officer when I first arrived to help me around the school and such after I... was taken away from my parents..."

Mikaela eyed Yuu from the corner of one eye as they trekked down the sidewalk. Both were still a little worse for the wear due to their earlier... disagreement, but Mika saw something else out of the corner of his eye then. "You never told me what your parents did to have child services take you away from them," Mikaela commented.

Yuu felt his stomach lurch at the awful memories that wanted to take hold of him right then and there. "Hey, if I can't ask about your parents, then you can't ask about mine," he said, uncomfortable. "Deal?"

Mikaela seemed a little disappointed, but figured it to be fair. "All right. I'll just have to pillage Principal Ichinose's office for the information."

"That's not funny!" Yuu burst, but Mika only laughed. Yuu's face lit red from the sound, but he turned away and muttered, "And honestly, it's kind of weird that you seem to know exactly who all my friends are."

"I've seen you guys hanging out in the classroom before," Mika answered, still chuckling a little.

Yuichiro would have felt bad admitting out loud that he hadn't paid much attention to Mikaela before the beautiful, dangerous melody of _Moonlight Sonata_ resonated from in the music room. They continued down the sidewalk in silence a little longer, the blue sky becoming crested with a shade of deep violet on the eastern horizon. They'd been trapped at the school a long time cleaning up the courtyard after their fight. At the approaching intersection, Mikaela pointed his thumb down the street opposite the direction of the Hyakuya Orphanage. "My house is that way, so I'll be seeing you."

"All right, see you..." Yuu watched Mika take a few steps with both hands clutching his book bag. When Mika was already half a block away, Yuu yelled after him, "Hey, Mika!"

The blond turned around. "What?!"

"Wanna hang out tomorrow?!"

Yuu was afraid he would get another frigid response for even suggesting such a thing, but instead Mika shouted back, "Sure! It's not like we have school tomorrow!"

Yuu grinned at the remark. As Mikaela turned his back again, Yuu yelled, "My place?!"

"'Kay!" Mika waved.

Yuu smiled to himself, lightly clenching the fist not holding his book bag. "All right...!" In all honesty, he really did want to hear Mikaela play piano again, more than anything, but... that would have to wait. _That's right,_ he thought, watching Mika's navy blue school jacket as he got smaller and smaller among the buildings. _I can't just expect Mika to play piano for me every time I see him, whenever I want..._

Honking car horns mingled with Yuu's thoughts as the twinkling lights of Tokyo City began to stud the skyscrapers on all sides, illuminating the shadows that had fallen over the Land of the Rising Sun.

It wasn't until the sun had set that Yuu noticed the grumpy, tired, and hurrying glances people were giving him that he realized he'd been standing at the curb of a light where Mikaela had gone his separate way for at least seven cycles. Yuu just barely avoided cars as he rushed across the street, toward the orphanage. After dinner, he laid back on his bed of unmade covers with both arms cradling his head and stared at the ceiling. It was so quiet...

Only then did Yuu realize he hadn't even thought to bring out his headphones and listen to music at all on the way home, not even during his normal chaotic dinner – eating with five middle schoolers was a feat in itself. He pulled the objects out of his backpack and inspected the crack in the frame. The wire between the two earpieces looked intact, so Yuichiro decided to try to play something. He flipped on Pink Floyd's primarily instrumental _One of These Days_ , and found the headphones still worked pretty well, only if he didn't move at all while music was playing.

As Yuu closed his eyes to the bombardment of ambiant sounds, he instead found himself focusing more on the day's events. He was going to be able to miss school and see Mikaela tomorrow...

Yuu opened his eyes and set his headphones on the table beside his bed. Pulling the blankets all around him, he shimmied deeper into the warmth pooled under them. It had been an exhaustingly long day; he fell asleep snoring within the first minute of closing his eyes.

Instead of using music, like he always had before, he drifted away to light, bubbly laughter echoing through his eardrums.

* * *

 **Not sure how shippy this chapter was, but given the end of the previous chapter, I felt it was necessary. Yuichiro and Mikaela had to work out some stuff before they can progress into... whatever this fic is going to be. I only realized after the fact that I've basically set up the next chapter to be a date! Ah haha~ Let the fluff commence. o3o**

 **Thank you all so much for your support on this story so far! (Chapters do come faster when I know more people are interested~) I'm so delighted that you're enjoying my first try at an AU, and a romantic one at that! (Usually I write tragic one-sided stuff that never ends well...) We will have to see where this fic takes us...**

 **Please do not forget to leave your thoughts and opinions on the story in the comment section below~**


	4. City Life

Chapter IV: **City Life**

* * *

Yoichi's soft voice came through the speaker of Yuu's iPhone. "Where are you, Yuu?! You kind of ditched us yesterday, and you haven't come to school today either... Is everything all right?"

On his stomach and still laying in bed half-awake, Yuichiro brushed black bangs out of his face. He checked the time on the screen of his phone, then brought it back to his face. 11 A.M. "Oh, um... I... got into a fight yesterday after school," he answered groggily.

"Eh?! You got into a fight?!" Yoichi burst, horrified.

More voices came through the microphone, Mitsuba's first. "What was that idiot doing?"

Shinoa said, "Oh my~"

"I'm sure whatever it was for, that blockhead deserved it," muttered Shiho.

Before Yuu could tell them he could hear everything that they were saying, Yoichi asked, "Are you okay?! Were you hurt?!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Yuu quickly assured. He was aware of Yoichi's sigh of relief, then continued. "Anyway... I got suspended for the next two days, so I won't be there tomorrow either."

"But tomorrow's your birthday, right?!" said Yoichi. "We'll have to come over and visit you!"

Yuu yawned and sat up in bed, peeling his covers back deliberately. "Yeah, well, I have to do something with all the orphanage kids anyway, so you should probably come over on Saturday or something."

"Okay... See you, then."

"Bye." As Yuu hung up the phone and rolled out of bed, he stretched, put some pants and a clean shirt on, and opened his door. The Director was in the laundry room across the hall with the drier running; she didn't notice him until he was at the top of the stairs. "Oh, Yuichiro, you're finally awake," she said, barely glancing behind her as she opened the washing machine, transferring wet clothes to the drier, then closed it again. She wiped her hands on the sides of her dress as she went to meet Yuu at the top of the stairs. "Akane tried to wake you up this morning, but you slept through all of it. Do you need someone to take you to school?"

Yuu yawned again with one hand on the railing, deliberately turning to face her. "Yeah, uh, the truth is, Director... I was suspended for a few days." The woman's expression was unreadable as he explained why. "Y'see, I got into a fight with... a friend, and it kind of escalated and we destroyed half of the school's courtyard. So... I'm not allowed back until Monday. I'm very sorry!" He bowed deeply to her, but only received a hearty chuckle in response.

"That's all right – at least you're honest," she said, smiling at him. Yuichiro raised himself upright again, sighing in relief. He had been sure that some sort of punishment would be in order for causing trouble enough to be suspended from school – like a week's worth of chores. The Director cocked an eyebrow. "You said you got in a fight with a friend? With whom, might I ask?"

"This kid named Shindo Mikaela." Then Yuu remembered. "Oh yeah, I, um, actually asked him to come over today, since we both got suspended... I don't know if –"

She waved one hand, turning back to the laundry room. "Don't worry about it. As long as you and Mikaela sorted things out, – which it sounds like you did, – I don't see any problem with using your days off to spend time together. Do you need me to make you anything to eat? When is he coming over?" She walked back to the drier, to the clothes she had pulled out, and started folding them.

"Uh, I don't know..." Yuu felt stupid for not setting a time to meet up, and he didn't even have Mika's phone number to ask when.

Of course at that moment was when the doorbell rang. Yuu stared down at the front doorway below, still at the top of the stairs. He saw a blond figure outside that could only be Mikaela. "Aw, sh –!" He stopped himself from cussing where the Director could hear and rushed to the bathroom.

"Oh my, is that him?" she asked, peeking around the wall.

Yuu looked himself all up and down in the mirror. He looked like he rolled off of a moving train with how strong his bedhead game was. "Dangit! I haven't even brushed my hair yet!" he said exasperatedly, trying to smooth the clumps of upright hair.

"Shall I go stall him while you get yourself ready, Yuichiro?"

"No, that's fine, I can just –"

He heard the front door slide open and the Director's cheery voice greeting someone at the door. "Welcome, Mikaela. Yuichiro told me that you were coming."

Yuu cursed at himself again in the mirror as he frantically wetted his hands with the water at the sink, trying to get his mess of hair to sit flatly against his scalp.

"You can make yourself comfortable while Yuichiro gets ready. He got up a little late today since he didn't have any school – you know how it is. I'll get you something to drink in the meantime."

"Oh, no, please," said Mika, smiling nervously and holding up a hand politely in refusal. "I'm fine just waiting here."

She smiled back at him. "Very well, Yuichiro should be down in a minute."

When Yuu appeared at the top of the stairs, Mikaela spotted him immediately. Instead of the usual overly cheerful greeting Yuichiro had been expecting, Mikaela just smiled at him. "Hey, Yuu. Nice bedhead."

Yuu tried not to let himself be embarrassed by the remark as he descended the stairs, the Director seeming more than curious about their interaction. He crossed his arms, bearing a blank expression. "All right. So. You want a tour of the place or...? Something to eat maybe?" He didn't want to say anything _too_ rude in front of the Director so she wouldn't get any more curious.

Mika pretended to think a moment, brow furrowed in thought. "Hmm... tour first. I had something to eat on the way over."

"Oh, probably had a crème brûlée as a snack, am I right?" Yuu asked, straight-faced.

Mikaela grinned what could have been taken as innocently. The way the edges of his mouth curled revealed his true deviousness to Yuu. "No need to be so rude, Yuu. You didn't introduce me to your foster mother."

So as not to cause any more confusion that he would have to explain later to the Director, Yuu played along. "Director, this is Mikaela," he said, gesturing between the two. "Mikaela, Director."

They exchanged smiles and half-bows.

"I've heard about you from Yuichiro," the Director said, her round, wrinkly eyes twinkling as she looked upon Mikaela. "Though he neglected to tell me what a handsome young man you are."

Mikaela laughed good-naturedly while Yuu tried not to react to the Director's unnecessary thoughts said aloud. "I'm sure Yuu told you about how we got into a fight yesterday, right?"

The Director nodded. "Yes. He told me how you two destroyed the courtyard and were suspended for it, but I'm glad you're friends now."

"All right, that's enough," Yuu interrupted, tired of being talked about like he wasn't in the same room. "Mika, lemme give you that tour." He stalked up the two flights of stairs, still trying to flatten his raven hair against his head.

Once they were upstairs and out of the Director's ear, Yuu turned around in the hallway.

"She seems nice enough," murmured Mikaela.

Yuu grumbled at him, "Yeah, sure, if you like being embarrassed all the time. You two sure are great at making people who are present uncomfortable together though."

Mika let out a chuckle in disbelief. "Oh c'mon, Yuu, we weren't being serious; we were just making small talk. You should know that."

Yuu scoffed at him, crossing his arms again. "Yeah, whatever. Wanna see my room?"

"Sure."

Yuu crossed the hall and arrived at the door. As he opened it, the space inside revealed to be messy – but not in a dirty kind of way. There were clothes scattered all about the floor and every flat surface in sight, posters of old rock bands and abstract 60s tie-dye designs; the walls were a dull yellow. There wasn't much aside from that.

"Wow, you sure are a fan of punk music..."

"Not _just_ punk music," said Yuu with a finger in the air.

"Fine, every kind of music that involves some kind of outrageous gimmick," Mika muttered, eyeing the half-naked and long-haired rock band members in the black-and-white posters on the walls.

"Well, what about you and your classical composers?" Yuu snapped. "No one except you has heard of that stuff!"

Mika shot back, "Which makes sense, since the majority of the population can't appreciate good music anymore."

"Uhg, whatever. Aside from the rock'n'roll posters, what do you think?" he asked, spreading his arms and waiting for Mika's answer. His eyes traced along the room, its size and additional bathroom, and then back at Yuu. He shrugged. "It's pretty nice."

"See? That's what I thought –"

"But mine's bigger."

Yuu gave an audible growl. "Yeah, yeah. Now I'll show you the others' rooms."

There were three other rooms that belonged to the Hyakuya orphans. One, immaculately set up with manga and magazines scattered about the floor, was occupied by the two eldest girls Akane and Chihiro. The next, even messier than Yuu's, owned by the two younger boys, Kouta and Taichi. Pokémon games, guides, posters, and action figures were piled in the corners, and all along the walls and windowsills of this room – plus a strove of other many video games, consisting mainly of Nintendo. The boys' beds were stripped free of blankets, which also lay on the floor among many of the pocket-man action figures. The last room was the younger girls', Ako and Fumie. In this room, there was almost an exact mix of the previous two, depending one which section of the place you looked at. On Fumie's side, manga and Nintendo. On Ako's side, magazines and anime action figures.

Yuichiro also showed Mika the game room-slash-toy room, stockpiled with enough cheap entertainment – such as foosball table, stuffed animals, Legos, and more – to get someone through a zombie apocalypse, and then some. Afterward, Yuu wasn't sure what else they could do in the place. All that stuff was mainly for the younger kids; Yuichiro was usually only there to eat, sleep, and, when required, to do chores. "So, what do you wanna do with our day off?" he huffed. He noticed Mika eyeing the foosball table, but something in him must have stopped him from suggesting it.

"Hmm, well, actually... I lied about having something to eat on my way over. I'm kinda hungry again, so want to go get something to eat out in the city?"

Yuu shrugged. "Sure. I'll go tell the Director and get my coat," he said. A hand on his forehead as he walked out, Yuu thought, _Thank God I don't have to entertain Mika here. When I invited him over yesterday, I don't know what I'd been thinking..._

* * *

 **~Calore~**

* * *

"Two lattes please," Mika told the woman at the register of the coffee shop.

"And a bear claw with walnuts," Yuu said, pointing into the display case of pastries from behind Mikaela.

Mika hesitated.

"What?" Yuu asked.

He just shook his head as he turned back to the woman behind the register. "All right. I guess also a bear claw with walnuts."

As they exited the coffee shop, lattes and bear claw in hand, Mikaela said, "You know, Yuu, next time you wanna buy an expensive treat, you pay for it."

"Aw c'mon," he said, chomping into the bear claw immediately. "I know you have the money for it."

"How could you know?" Mika asked, genuinely astonished.

Yuu explained between bites, "After what Guren said in the office yesterday, about 'someone of your status,' it's pretty obvious."

Mika said nothing, only watched as Yuu awkwardly tried to fit the oddly-shaped bear claw into his mouth, struggling to keep the pieces of walnut stuck to the glazing frosting from falling off and onto the cement ground below their feet. When they stopped at a crosswalk's red light, Mika said, "Give me a bite of that."

Yuu was opposed to the idea. "Hm? Why?" he asked as he chewed. Sugary icing glazed Yuu's bulging cheeks.

"I paid for it," Mika stated. "I want a bite."

Yuu blinked at him. "Okay. Sure." He put his latte in the crook of his elbow and was about to tear off a piece to give to Mikaela, but Mika leaned forward and took a huge bite out of the pastry on his own.

"Hm, that is good...!" Mika exclaimed, a hand to his mouth as he chewed.

Yuu still couldn't believe what he'd just done. "H... hey...! That bite was huge! You took an entire quarter of it on your own!"

"So? I bought it," said Mikaela, swallowing.

"St-still! I –!" He was too embarrassed to say, _I put my mouth on that!_ Though Yuu wanted to toss it aside, he also didn't want to throw away the expensive treat Mikaela paid for.

"What, Yuu?" Mika stared at him, daring Yuu to defy his answer. The light changed and they started walking again.

Yuu gaped at him, trying to find something to say, until they had reached the other side of the street. He turned his head back down to the sidewalk. "Nothing." He took another bite out of the bear claw, willing himself not to think of the second-hand contact with Mikaela's mouth – and failing horribly. He could almost feel the giggle Mikaela stifled bursting at his seams, but Mika didn't make a sound.

Frosty October winds blew through them. Yuu and Mika clutched their lattes to keep their hands from freezing as they trekked down the sidewalk, following the flow of the crowd. Mika's gaze latched onto something in front of them. "Look! Look at that!"

Yuu looked up, expecting to see someone walking around in cosplay with how excited Mikaela sounded, but all he saw was the normal sea of hurrying people. "What?"

"Over there! There's an old book store over there!"

Yuu caught onto the place Mika was pointing at; the hanging sign had stacks of leather-bound books surrounding the ancient Kanji characters, looking like something right out of a novel by itself. "Yeah, what about it?"

Mika was already making his way through the crowd toward the store. "There might be some old music scores in there!"

Yuu pushed through people to keep up, which resulted in him receiving many glares. He apologized hastily and hurried to catch Mika at the front of the old book store. "H-hey, wai – Mika!" Yuu stuffed the last bite of his bear claw down his throat and caught Mika's arm before he went inside. "Mika, what's the big deal?!"

"They might have music in there," he said.

It still didn't click with Yuichiro. "Oh... kay?"

"Piano music. The kind of music I like."

"Oh." He stood still another moment before it finally sunk in. "Oh! Sure. Lead the way."

Mikaela rolled his eyes as he pushed open the door.

The place was dim and heavy with the smell of musty old books. The shelves towered over Yuichiro and Mikaela the moment they stepped in, reaching the low-hanging ceiling. The entire place looked like something illustrated by Dr. Seuss.

The elderly man seated at the front desk stood. "Welcome. Are you looking for anything specific today?"

"We'll let you know," said Mika, drinking the rest of his latte and discarding it in the trash bin at the front. Yuu barely realized Mika was already down one of the crooked-leaning aisles, as if he knew exactly where he was going. Yuu downed his last swallow of latte and threw it in the trash before he quickly followed.

"H-hold on –! Mika!" Yuu whispered frantically, trying to keep up.

They went so far and so fast that Yuu couldn't keep track of where they were in the store. "Almost there... let's see..." Mika mumbled to himself. He stopped abruptly after taking many twists and turns, causing Yuu to bump into him.

"Jeez, couldn't you just –" He lowered his voice, remembering they weren't the only ones in the store. The manager at front didn't look it, but Yuu was sure the man had the keen ears of a bat. Mika bent down toward volumes on the bottom shelf, inspecting the spine and front cover.

"Couldn't you just find this stuff on the Internet?" Yuu whispered.

"No, I like buying things more in the flesh... It doesn't look like they have what I want here. Deeper in." He replaced the volume on the shelf and rounded the corner. A narrow set of stairs led into the basement of the bookstore, which was even darker and mustier than the upper floor.

Yuu felt a sense of trepidation as he crept down the stairs behind the blond, as if they were walking into one of those horror movies where the initial victims of whatever malevolent force think they can solve the mystery on their own. "Mika!" he called quietly in the thick air of the bottom level, but Mika didn't bother to reply. They walked through archives of old history textbooks, through some of the oldest artwork Yuu had ever seen, and as they went deeper, the books became older and more worn out.

Mikaela stopped abruptly again. "Ah ha! Found it!"

"Found what?" Yuu inquired, rubbing his squished nose.

Mika's eyes were alight as he turned around, holding a huge leather-bound book to his chest. "I've been looking for a reliable copy of Chopin's work for ages! Finally I can play his symphonies without having to worry if something was left out or modified wrongly..." A gleam shone in Mika's cerulean eyes then, one Yuu had never been exposed to before.

"Mika..."

"Yeah?"

Yuichiro's solemn expression caught Mikaela by surprise. "What is it, Yuu?"

Yuu didn't know how to put what he was thinking into words. He hadn't known Mikaela long, but Yuu knew how Mika acted around the others at school – around all the girls who adored him and all the boys who envied him. Yuichiro had never seen such divine interest on Mika's – or anybody's – face before. "Why don't you want to become a professional pianist? I mean, it's obviously really important to you, and you are really good at it..." _What am I saying?_ Yuu chastised himself. _I don't have the right to force my opinion on anyone, I know, but –_

What was making him say it?

Mikaela was taken aback. His eyes were wide and his lips parted and hovered, moving up and down, unable to form any words. After what seemed like an eternity, he turned back to the bookshelf, and started _stammering_. Flirty, devious Mikaela was _stammering_ over a question of career choice. "St-stupid Yuu, so naïve about the ways of the music industry," he said, shifting himself sideways in the aisle to avoid Yuu. "In this day and age, being a pianist is something you have to be absolutely astounding at if you want to be able to live off it the way you're thinking. I-I couldn't possibly be qualified for a job like that..."

"I'm sure you could do it, Mika!"

Mikaela gave him an angry eye – but there was something else too, something that Yuu couldn't place... Almost like... the inability to believe in a false hope. "Oh yeah?" Mika questioned. "Coming from you, who wants to become a pop artist and can't even play an instrument?"

"It's true, becoming a pop artist isn't exactly realistic," Yuu said. He gave a half-shrug. "But I don't care. It's what I want to do. Your piano playing is something... unlike anything I've ever heard before, Mika. I don't know if you know how... moved I was when I first heard you play, and I..." Now Yuu was getting embarrassed. He itched the back of his head and lowered his face to keep the redness from showing in the damp light. _Too many words – calm down!_ "I don't know much about how music works," he said quietly. "But I can tell you I've listened to all kinds of stuff, and... I've never heard or felt anything like your music in my life."

 _Finally_. He'd said it. What was really bothering him this entire time. He stole a glance at Mikaela and saw him, dumbstruck. He didn't know what to say. "I..." Mika's arms quivered on the book he hugged close to his chest. After a full thirty seconds of silence, he sighed, breaking eye contact. "Thank you..."

"Don't mention it," Yuichiro replied, thinking nothing of it – he was just relieved to have that nagging feeling of being unable to tell Mika how he truly felt off his chest.

* * *

 **~Lacuna~**

* * *

Leather-bound book of Chopin's piano pieces in a bag at Mika's side, they walked back to the Hyakuya Orphanage. Mikaela asked Yuu, "Are you really that serious about becoming a pop artist?"

Yuu didn't lift his head from the sidewalk, shoulders hunched against the wind. "Yeah. I am."

Mika started, "That's not –"

"Reasonable?" Yuu answered. "Yeah, I've heard that before. But I don't care, I'm going for it anyway."

Mika said, "That's not what I meant – though yes, but no... It's just... so unheard of."

"Unheard of?" Yuu asked, bemused, looking at him. "For someone to ignore reality to follow their dreams?"

Mika shook his head. "No... it's just that people usually don't tell others what they want to do so easily, afraid they'll misinterpret or judge them."

They came to the crossroads between the orphanage and the school, where they had parted ways before. When they stopped, Yuu tried asking again. "Mika, do you want to go back for dinner at the orphanage?"

Mikaela shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, Yuu. I really have to be getting back before my parents. They still don't know I've been suspended, and school will have ended by now."

"Okay..."

"I'll see you later."

"See you..."

* * *

 **~Parlante~**

* * *

"Did you and Mikaela have a good time?"

"Yeah," he said, voice subdued as he kicked off his shoes. He'd wandered aimlessly around for another hour after Mikaela had gone home. There was little else he could do anyway with no school or way of seeing his friends.

The Director watched him climb the stairs, a question on her lips, but she didn't ask it.

Yuu flopped into bed and traced intricate patterns in the ceiling with his eyes, dead bored. Eventually, the patterns took on a sense of animated life impelled by the growing beat in his head. Once the music in his head grew too loud to concentrate on anything else, he carefully slipped on his broken headphones and turned on _Viva la Vida_.

 _I finally got what'd been bothering me off my chest, right to Mika's face, so why am I still so...?_ So what? Annoyed? Angry?

...Sad?

What if that _wasn't_ all he'd wanted to say? But then what else could it be? Why did he feel so empty every time Mikaela rejected his offers to dinner? Why did he feel such a strong need to know about Mika's parents? Why, when he told Mikaela things like he had in the old book store that day, did it seem as if he was hoping for some other outcome? For something to _happen_ for once in his life of his _own_ volition, something that he chose _himself_...

 _"Are you really that serious about becoming a pop artist?"_

A few weeks ago, Yuichiro would have given anyone that asked that question an unequivocal "yes." A new yearning had formed inside of him, one that he couldn't place, one that was screaming, had always been screaming, and yet he couldn't figure out _why_...

Yuu lived the life. He'd figured that, one day, he would get away from the orphanage and be able to do whatever he wanted, however he wanted, with whomever he wanted. As long as he made his own decisions, he would be happy.

Becoming a pop artist... was only an excuse to get away from it all. In truth, Yuu never believed for a second that he had the talent or resources to become famous, but he rationalized it to others – and even himself – that that was what would make him complete. However, it was no longer the _Boulevard of Broken Dreams_ that he walked down alone. No, now the sweet, sour, orderly and disorderly, beautiful and ugly, dynamic and static, over, underwhelming emotions of _Moonlight Sonata_ and _Love Dream_ infected his mind.

And he _needed_ **more**. He was willing to beg if that's what it took...

The nights he sat curled in the corner of his parents' apartment complex with words racing through his stream of consciousness reared their ugly heads more often that he would like them to. It was on those nights that he wanted nothing more than to disappear.

Yuichiro couldn't stand the silence.

But he hated the noise more.

He lived with it day in and day out, to kept himself from seeing the true folly of the way he went about his life and thought of the world around him.

His citrine eyes opened, and Yuu noticed the sun setting. Rock'n'roll had been left behind ages ago, and now screamo had once again taken its place – though only through one speaker of his headphones. He'd been napping for a few hours. Yuu sat up in bed. It was _Savior_ that was playing, screaming:

 _"Don't save me, don't save me, 'cause I don't care..."_

He slipped his headphones off his head, onto his neck. Now, the chorus had moulded into:

 _"Save me, save me, save me, save me, save me, save me..."_

He heard the others running around and giggling downstairs, the wind howling outside. And as Yuu stood, he walked to the window frame, out to the leaf-shed trees and the gathering dusk in the lavender-colored sky. Then he looked down at the gaudy blue things in his palms, cupping his fingers around the metal cylinders. He still remembered purchasing them right after he'd been transferred from his parents'. Man, they'd been expensive... and they were shattered in less than a few seconds.

Yuu walked to the trash bin near his doorway and tossed the headphones inside.

As he ventured out the door, down the stairs toward the voices down below... there was something else he wanted.

 _I... want to hear Mika play piano again._

* * *

 **Oh man has this week been busy for me. So. many. tests.**

 **This chapter took me a really long time to write. (Since I started writing it last week, I say a long time.) I was really questioning every little detail... One of the main reasons I'm writing this story is to experiment with romance in stories due to me never really writing developing romance, so I really don't know what I'm doing...**

 **Thoughts, opinions, critiques, and anything in between are always welcome! I really love getting feedback for this story~ (Well, all of my stories, but that's beside the point...)**

 **Thanks for the read, hope you enjoyed!**


	5. Don't Think, Feel

Chapter V: **Don't Think, Feel**

* * *

"Happy birthday, Yuichiro!"

Saturday afternoon, the entire squad rushed into the Hyakuya Orphanage with gifts, cake, games, and movies they had planned out for the entire day. First order of business was the huge German chocolate cake laid before Yuu on the dinner table. After _Happy Birthday_ had been sung, Shinoa pulled a party-popper and sent confetti everywhere in the kitchen. "Without a shirt~" she cheered. "Now, eat up, Yuu! You need your nutrition so you can grow taller than me!"

"I'm already way taller than you," Yuu remarked.

"You're still a shrimp compared to me though," said Shiho. He pushed his glasses farther up on the bridge of his nose. "Meaning I can beat you with my manly class any day."

"Ex _cuse_ _you?!_ "

"All right, all right, calm down," said Mitsuba, pushing the hotheads' angry faces opposite directions. "Yuu, make a wish already."

He faced the coconut-and-chocolate-frothed cake and blinked. _Man, they really did go all-out this year,_ Yuu thought. He smiled warmly. _I'll have to thank them formally later..._ "Hmmm... I wish..."

"Hey Yuu, can I blow out the candles for you?!"

"Yeah! If you can't think of something to wish for, could we do it instead?!"

Yuu rolled eyes, feeling Kouta and Taichi on either side of him, eyeballing his cake as if it was theirs for the taking. Clenching his fists, Yuichiro yelled at them, "Hey, you two! I've asked you stop calling me that! And stay away from my –!"

"Whoaaa your friends got you all these presents?! Yuu, you're so lucky!" It was Ako who was standing near the doorway, seeing where his gifts were piled against the wall, a hand to her mouth, scrawny pigtails flopping around her head as she poured over the small assortment of gifts.

Shinoa shrugged, playing along. "Yeah, Yuu doesn't really deserve it."

Mitsuba finished for her, "But since we're all he's got, we couldn't just abandon him." She bent closer to Ako and whispered, a devious gleam in her eyes, "Otherwise he would probably go crazy and end up rampaging around the school to come after us."

"I would not! Stop feeding them lies!" Yuu yelled at the girls, but Mitsuba winked at Ako as if to prove her point as she stood up again. Yuu smacked both hands on either side of the cake as he declared, "All right, everybody better shuddup so I can –"

"Yoichi! I haven't seen you in a while!" greeted Chihiro as she walked into the kitchen with Akane. She smiled up at Yoichi as she walked over to him, eyes closed behind the shine of her silver glasses.

"Hi, long time no see," Yoichi said nervously, aware of Yuu's furious aura right next to him.

Yuu yanked his raven locks in frustration. "Rrrrrgggh! Fine, I'll just make my wish quickly –!"

"That's no good, Yuu!" piped up Fumie from beside Taichi. "You have to put time a thought into your wish!"

"She's right!" agreed Taichi, speaking confidently as if he was well-versed on the subject. "A birthday wish is the most important part of the birthday ritual."

Kouta agreed right after him, "Yeah!"

"Then why don't you all stop interrupting me so I _can_ make my wish –?!"

"'Cause you have to make sure it's something extra, extra special!" said Fumie.

"We don't want you to waste your seventeenth birthday wish!" reasoned Ako.

Akane clapped from the doorway into the dining room-kitchen area. "All right, everyone, I think we've irritated Yuu enough –"

"Stop calling me that," mumbled Yuu under his breath.

"– let him make his wish," she said, ignoring him.

All at once everyone was quiet and Yuu wanted to throttle Akane for not ordering it that way sooner. Instead, he closed his eyes and thought of what he wanted to wish for. _I wish that I'll get that beat-boxing kit I saw in the music store –_ His breath cut short. Hold on. He could get buy that kit at almost any time. What if he wished for something that was harder to obtain? _I wish that I'll get a stable job out of high school –?_ No, too boring. _And desperate. How about I wish that –?_

" _Uhg,_ hurry up, Yuu. Staring at this cake is making my mouth water; I'm _starving_."

"Shut _up_ , Kouta," said Yuu, not bothering to open his eyes to glare at him. _Gotta pick something fast. Okay... how about I wish that Mika would play piano for me whenever I wanted?_ Yuu wasn't sure where the thought came from; in fact he'd already reasoned to himself why that was a stupid thing to wish for. But just like that the subconscious part of him accepted the wish and he blew out the candles on the cake and that was that.

"Yay!" cheered Kouta and Taichi. And then, "Okay, knife!"

"Not so fast you two," scolded Akane, snatching up the knife before either Kouta, Taichi, or Ako could set their gazes upon it.

"Did you wish for something good, Yuu?" Yoichi asked as they all watched Akane cut the cake into equal pieces and dish them out to the orphans and Yuu's friends.

"Yeah, I think so..." He smiled softly to himself.

Though Shinoa and Mitsuba had been watching Akane's handiwork with the cake and knife, Shinoa caught on to the sentimental look in Yuu's green eyes. Slipping a piece of chocolate cake into her mouth, she cried out, "Amane Yuichiro, just aged seventeen, already so deeply in love~!"

On the other side of him Mitsuba called, "Who knew what a sap our little Yuichiro was~?"

"He can hardly contain his lust for the beloved blond pianist he met a mere two weeks ago~!" The girls nudged him mockingly with their elbows, daring him to stop them.

Yuu's ears lit red, not because of the falseness in their accusation, but because he _had_ in fact wished about Mikaela – though it was to hear him play piano again. "H-hey, that's not –!"

Akane looked up from the coconut shavings of German chocolate cake all over the knife in her hands and blinked. "What's this? Blond pianist?" She narrowed her eyes at Yuichiro.

 _Oh fucking hell,_ Yuu screamed internally. "They're lying! You know that Shinoa and Mitsuba like to make more than what there is!"

"True, but no one can deny the _absolutely adorable_ look on your face right now," pointed out Shinoa. Yuu's plate clattered against the table as he set down his cake, his hands shooting up to his cheeks. They were _steaming_. His eyes swept the kitchen full of orphans and a smug Shinoa and Mitsuba. The girls' arms were interlinked and their expressions matched that of parents as if they were looking upon their firstborn who just said he had a crush. Even Shiho and Yoichi were gaping at him.

Half-heartedly, Yuu burst, "B-because you embarrassed me, s-suggesting something like _that!_ "

Yuichiro guessed that even the devilish Shinoa and Mitsuba figured they'd gone too far this time, seeing how utterly _red_ Yuu was.

Akane said, moving along the conversation, "Okay, next are the presents, then."

* * *

 **~Accarezzévole~**

* * *

It was only seven o'clock and already dark outside the orphanage when everyone settled down on the couch to watch _The Nightmare Before Christmas_. Many of them were already dozing off from the craziness of the afternoon filled with foosball, Nerf gun wars, stuffed animal fights, and light saber battles over whether the Light Side or Dark Side would prevail. (All had ended in a draw since neither Yuu nor the Hyakuya orphans were willing to forfeit the fight.)

Yuichiro was given the best seat in the living room: the theater seat directly in front of the TV with a reclining back and cup holder for his soda, as well as the remote. Though Kouta, Taichi, Fumie, and Ako were all piled on each other around him.

It was at the point in the movie when Jack Skeleton was about to ride through the sky on his crafty skeleton reindeer-drawn sleigh. Everyone on the couch was snoozing except Yuichiro, but there was a knock on the front door, and a few moments later, the Director whispered to Yuu to come to the kitchen.

Grey scarf around his neck and navy school jacket around his shoulders, Mikaela Shindo stood there. To say Yuu was shocked was putting it a little lightly. The Director went back to the laundry upstairs once she made sure Yuu saw Mikaela. Unfortunately, Yuu immediately remembered the main subject of Shinoa's and Mitsuba's taunting that afternoon and felt his limbs become rigid as he walked up to Mikaela. "Mika, this is a surprise," he said as normal as possible. "What're you doing here?"

Mikaela barely glanced at him, fidgeting and holding his arms close to himself, cheeks flushed. _It must be cold outside,_ thought Yuu.

"I'm here to give you your present of course," said Mika. He seemed more withdrawn as he stuck out his hands to reveal the brightly wrapped box in his hands. Yuichiro could only wonder why as he took the gift, babbling and trying to ignore the burning sensation in the back of his throat as if he wanted to blurt out something, – but what, he didn't know, – after the fiasco that afternoon. "Th-thanks, Mika, but you really didn't need to –"

"J-just consider it as me paying you back for what happened in the courtyard, 'kay?"

Yuu nodded as he unwrapped the gift. One glance at the packaging and he already knew what it was.

"The blue chrome ones online wouldn't arrive until a few months later, and I know how much you love those things so I didn't want you to have to wait, but I can order those too if you'd rather have blue," said Mika quickly.

Yuu stared at the green chrome headphones in his hands. "Mika, these were over thirty-thousand yen!"

"Yes...?"

"I can't accept these!" said Yuu, thrusting the headphones back at Mikaela.

"I've told you before how rich my family is," said Mika, pushing the headphones back toward Yuu, "it's fine –"

"No it's not!" countered Yuu. It was weird seeing the same headphones he'd thrown away only a few days earlier. Weirder yet that Yuu actually _wanted_ to keep them so soon, though he'd resolved not to. Yuu was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist old habits if he accepted them. "You _have to_ return them!"

Still, Mika tried to shove them back at Yuu. "It's fine."

"No, I can't, Mika... I really can't." The way he stared at the package in his hands had Mikaela curious. A certain kind of relented craving, yet a look dread and needing to let go... "Thanks for thinking of me, but I really can't accept this gift..."

Mikaela finally took the headphones back from Yuu with a shocked and – hurt? kind of hesitation. Then he was usual flirty Mika again. "C'mon, Yuu! I didn't come all this way just to say 'happy birthday' to you and leave it at that! Now that we're friends, I have to give you _something!_ "

With Mika's bright blue eyes scrunched and pouting at him, Yuu couldn't help but be reminded of Shinoa's and Mitsuba's teasing and again stiffened, looking at the wooded floor of the kitchen. But then he remembered something else. "If you still want to give me something, then c'mere!"

In the living room, Jack had just realized that Lock, Shock, and Barrel sent Santa Claus and Sally to the Oogie Boogie man in their basement and was now running through Halloween Town to go save them. Still no one was awake. Yuichiro saw this as the perfect opportunity and led Mikaela down the hall, to the spacey library. Books, decorations, and furniture of all kinds were heaped in the room, which was thick with dust. Anyone seldom went in there because of it. Mikaela had seen the room before when given a tour of the place and stopped as Yuu headed for a corner of the room. He pulled the sheet down to show an ancient upright piano of light-lined wood.

"Mika, if you still want to give me something, would you play something for me?"

Mika shook his head in disbelief, a hand slapping his forehead. "Jeez Yuu, you didn't have to be so secretive about it. Here I was thinking you were looking for the right place to murder me."

"Please, Mika!" pleaded Yuu, rushing over to him. He forgot his earlier rigidness momentarily long enough to reach for Mikaela's hands, and by the time he realized what he was doing, it was too late to retreat without making both of them more awkward than they already were. Mikaela was surprised to feel Yuu's hands suddenly clasping his own, and was wide-eyed as Yuu pulled him toward the piano, trying to think little of it himself. He quickly placed Mika's hands on the ancient, light brown piano's cover before letting go and looking away. "Will you play something for me... please? Anything at all?"

Yuu didn't dare look at Mikaela, only at his hands, which still rested on the piano. _"He can hardly contain his lust for the beloved blond pianist he met a mere two weeks ago~!"_ rang Shinoa's taunting voice in his mind. _I probably pissed him off trying to force him to play like this, like he said before we got into that fight, only wanting him to entertain me._

"Sure."

"Wh-what?!"

Yuu watched, open-mouthed, as Mikaela slid the piano's cover back, pulled the bench out, and seated himself there. Yuu scrambled. "You really don't have to, I just –!"

"Is that not what you want me to give you for your birthday?" Mika asked, halting halfway as he was pulling off his scarf.

"Y-yeah, but..."

"But what?"

Yuu's mind raced in ten different directions. Yes, Mika's piano playing was the reason he tossed his obscenely expensive, broken headphones in the garbage a few days ago. Yes, that was why he refused the headphones Mika tried to give him, why he wished for being able to hear Mikaela play whenever he wanted as he blew his candles out that afternoon, but – "Only if you want to!"

Mika set his fingers delicately on the piano keyboard. "Why wouldn't I want to?"

"Well, after what you said before we got into a fight on Wednesday –"

"It's fine. You asked politely, so..."

Mika started playing before Yuu could object any more. The piece immediately drained all the rigidness from Yuu's body, the way it pushed on, determined, yet continually hopeless throughout. The sad melody persisted until it crashed into the original lull of lamenting solitude, then cried out in despair, pleading to be heard. Then once again it whimpered in agony, yet also in hope, until shut out by the cold, hard truth, ending with darkened chords to slap the listener back to reality. And that was all. Yuu was stuck immobile by the song and shook himself out of it as Mikaela turned to look at him. "Before you ask, that was _Prelude In E minor_ by Chopin."

"Great," Yuu croaked, trying not to seem that it affected him as much as the songs never seemed to affect Mikaela. "But," – Mika's grin wavered, – "I just realized something..."

"Hm? What's that?"

Yuu kept his voice level, not looking him in the eye, only at the black and white keyboard beneath Mika's fingers. "I've never heard you play something... happy."

All the bouncy humor on Mikaela's face vanished just like that. "Wh-what...?"

"Yeah, all your songs seem kinda... hopeless, you know?" said Yuu. Now he did look at Mikaela, with earnest in his expression. "Do you have anything fun?"

Mika grumbled, shifting himself on the piano bench. "All you asked was that I play something, Yuu, you didn't specify what."

"Well I really liked that pre..."

" _Prelude In E minor_?" Mikaela filled in for him.

"Yeah that, but..." Yuu shrugged. "I dunno, your piano playing always sounds really beautiful, but you _have to_ play more than just sad pieces, right?"

Yuu didn't even realize he'd said Mika's playing was " _beautiful_ " until he registered by the shocked expression on Mikaela's face and traced back over his words. Thankfully Mika didn't mention it. He turned back toward the keyboard. "Well... if you really want to hear something happier..."

Yuu almost jumped in joy, leaning closer with his fists raised against his body. He didn't think Mikaela would actually play something _else_ for him right then, and he certainly wasn't complaining.

This time the song started high and slow, progressing upward and downward in short spurts of carefree thought that gave off a feeling of predisposition. The notes rolled around one another, swirling higher again, pausing momentarily, though soon after cascaded in a waterfall of notes that swirled 'round and 'round, 'round and 'round until they circled all about in the mid-section of the piano. Gradually, with much effort, Mikaela's hands found their way higher onto the piano and then paused again, starting with the same first progression. They hit some turbulence in the mid-section as Mikaela crept lower, lower, lower... halting and repeating... hovering there... but everything shook, and all at once awoke again, shooting higher and higher until it stopped.

A new portion of the song began, with quiet, thoughtful notes that posed questions to be answered with higher and louder notes, but only for a moment. Mika went up and down, up and down again on the keyboard... his fingers rolling up and down the piano softly, and then occasionally loud, precise movements, and then it all repeated again, eventually leading them into the grand opening section of the song that was slow and loud, but then soft and slowing, slowing, slowing...

And everything started again as it had begun. With the rolling tones and a waterfall of notes that were soft and thoughtful in every possible way, gradually growing louder and higher, then soft... It all crumbled away into sharp, sweet tones that held the weight of a thousand words all on their own that were begging for recognition. Mika's hands shot up the piano in harmonic, broken scales that rose and fell, and yet stayed in the same place with the notes that were pronounced louder over the others. The cascading notes came again, for the last time, until the waterfall flew _upward_ , into the sky and stayed there, persistent, and dropping down gracefully again at the final moment.

Mika took more time holding the notes at the end of this song than he had the others. Then his hands lifted from the keyboard and to his lap where they stayed, but Yuu could barely find the words. They stared at each other for what felt like hours.

" _First Arabesque_. By Debussy," murmured Mikaela, but his voice, despite his quietness and syrupy tone was like a slap to the face to Yuichiro after the song.

"That was –" Yuu couldn't even think of an adjective good enough to describe it, so he said the first thing that came to his mind. "Amazing."

Mika gave him a face. "Don't exaggerate, Yuu."

"I'm not!"

Mikaela squinted but found no sign of deceit in Yuu's eyes. He saw that Yuu was being completely honest. About everything.

"Thanks for playing for me, Mika. I'm sorry for keeping you so long; you probably have to get back to your parents or something." The smell of shampoo was overwhelming in Yuu's senses and suddenly all he could see were light strands of blond hair in his vision, warm arms wrapped around his shoulders. Yuu gasped slightly, but before he could think too hard, he hugged Mika back. He wasn't sure how long they stayed that way until they pulled apart, almost at the same time.

The shine on Mika's pale face was perfectly visible. "I'll see you later, Yuu."

"Y-yeah."

Yuu remained stationary as Mikaela left the room, wrapping his scarf back over his head. Only after the front door slammed shut behind him did Yuu think he probably should have seen him out, but...

 _"Amane Yuichiro, just aged seventeen, already so deeply in love~!"_

 _"Who knew what a sap our little Yuichiro was~?"_

Yuu ignored the girls' taunts playing back in his mind, but when he exited the library, as if she had telepathy, Shinoa sat waiting for him on the stairs with her chin in her hands. "Well, if it isn't our little cherry boy Yuu," she said.

"WH-WHA?!"

"How was your _alone time_ with Mikaela?" She emphasized the "alone time" part with a devious grin and bat of her eyelashes.

Yuu fumed, "I don't know what you're –!"

Shinoa laughed, stepping down from the stairs to be on equal ground with him – though she was nearly a foot shorter. "Y'know, I thought Mitsu and I had gone too far this afternoon with how embarrassed you were but _now –_ "

"Seriously, _fuck off_ ," he hissed, glaring at her out of one eye as he made toward the living room. Everyone else was still dozing with the lights off, though _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ had just displayed the spectacular ending between Jack and Sally.

"You seem a little tense so how about I just lay down the facts for you –?"

"What part of ' _fuck off_ ' do you not understand?!" Yuu demanded, trying to keep the volume of his voice to a minimum – and the amount of phlegm he projected low too. "I don't want you thinking you know things that you don't and telling everyone about it like it's the latest and greatest Big News of the century, okay?! So stay away from me!"

Shinoa shoved him away to get him to back off. "Yuu, calm down. Don't worry, I'm not so cruel as to go around ruining your reputation of being a grouch around the school for having a crush on a boy."

"Who said I have a –?!"

Shinoa interrupted him by putting a finger to both their lips. " _Sh!_ You'll wake up everybody, don't you see? And I'm sure you don't want the Director to hear us either, do you?"

When Shinoa lifted her finger off Yuu's lips, he mumbled, deflated, "Okay, what do you want?"

"Me?" said Shinoa with a hand to her chest. "I don't want anything. I just want to help poor Yuu who can't even accept his own gay feelings."

"Yeah right," said Yuu. "And no one said I have 'gay feelings.'"

"Right, right. So you like hearing Mikaela play piano, isn't that right?"

"Yeah...?"

"And you want to be able to hear him play more often, right?"

"Yes?"

"Perhaps I can help you with that."

"No way. The _last_ thing I need is you and your _devil accomplice_ trying to make me confess feelings I don't even have for someone I became friends with only a few weeks ago."

Shinoa corrected so swiftly that Yuichiro could've missed it, "Mitsu isn't _just_ my accomplice – she's my girlfriend. And besides, you don't seem to understand what exactly you're doing so I thought perhaps I could –?"

"No, I told you to fuck off," said Yuu. "I don't have any ' _gay feelings_ ' for Mika, okay? We're just friends."

Shinoa shrugged. "All right." She sashayed back toward the living room with her hands folded behind her back. "But when you come crawling back to me for advice, I won't even say ' _I told you so_ '~"

Yuu stayed in the hallway. Faintly, he heard Shinoa tickling Mitsuba awake, and stalked up the stairs before he could allow himself to think anything more of it. _I just wanted to hear him play piano, that's all... nothing else... It's not like I wanna –_

Kiss him? Now where'd that thought come from? He cast it aside before he could even ask.

When Yuu got to his room, he reached into his backpack for his headphones, and immediately punched the wall for forgetting that he didn't have them anymore. Then he cursed himself for not accepting the headphones that Mika had offered to him.

No, scratch that, it was _much_ better that he hadn't accepted the headphones that _Mika_ offered him.

 _He was all fidgety when he arrived,_ thought Yuu, crashing into bed. _I wonder what made him act so cute –_

Wait now where did _that_ come from?!

In that moment, Yuichiro wanted to smother himself with a pillow.

He stared at the ceiling, trying to find the patterns he traced on there sometimes but they all evaded him, the beat in his head growing ever louder – and this time, he didn't have any means to stop it. The beat wasn't of one of his screamo bands however, but the swirling tones of _First Arabesque_ ; the desperate and determined notes of _Prelude In E minor_. He blew out a sigh through his nose. "I'm such an idiot..."

"Yuichiro, your two girl friends are about to leave; you should come say good-bye to them."

Yuu forced himself out of bed, not wanting to face Shinoa again. _They aren't my "girl friends." They're just that: actual girlfriends. With each other,_ drawled a voice in Yuu's mind that he wasn't entirely in control of.

"Bye," he said, holding the door for Shinoa and Mitsuba on the way out – even though he wanted to _kick_ them out, especially Shinoa. But she lingered in the doorway a little longer and then gestured for Yuu to lean down so she could whisper something in his ear. " _Cherry boy_."

"Shut up!" He slammed the front door behind them and turned to see the Director with wide eyes. "What?!" he snapped, startling her further. He swept past her and into the living room where Yoichi and Shiho were still snoring with all the Hyakuya orphans.

"Yuichiro, is there something wrong?" the Director asked from behind him.

Yuu felt ashamed for lashing out at her so fiercely like that. "No, I... Sorry, I didn't mean to..." And just like that, the embarrassment from earlier that day invaded his mind and overtook all of his senses and all he could feel were Mikaela's warm arms around him.

"Would you like me to wake up your friends and tell them they need to go home?"

"N-no, that's fine... They can stay."

Despite the confusion and concern on her face, she turned back into the kitchen. Yuu let out a breath of relief, shook himself of the feeling of Mika's hug.

 _I don't have a crush on Mika, I mean, if I did, I would definitely want to kiss him or something, and I don't. I don't..._

But his heartbeat quickened at the thought.

* * *

 **In which Shinoa is the sassy gay friend. It was really fun to write all the interactions between everyone, as well as Mika's piano playing~ I plan to explore much more of the characters in this AU as the story continues~**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and feel that Yuu's – developing or not developing – crush is realistic and makes sense, being that that's something I'm trying to work on in this story! Please leave your thoughts below~**


	6. Sea Waves

Chapter VI: **Sea Waves**

* * *

Stomping snow off his boots and closing the door, Mikaela shivered at the sudden warmth of the mansion. For a moment, he paused with his coat in his arms, the traces of a grin on his lips and a softness in his eyes, until there came a high-pitched chuckle from the bottom of the stairs. Startled, he stepped out of the genkan and turned around to see Krul Tepes, his pink-haired mistress.

Seated on the second-to-last step of the main staircase, Krul grinned at him with her chin in her hand. The candlestick beside her illuminated her long, pink nails and unnatural crimson eyes, her risqué head mistress uniform, which displayed most of her crossed legs, splayed out all around her. "And what were you doing out so late that put a smile on your face, Mika?"

He hesitated to answer, avoiding her eye. He set his shoulders back. "I was running an errand."

Krul's grin only widened, the corners of her mouth curling farther inward. "A nicely wrapped errand." She craned her neck, her eyes flickered to the torn gift Mikaela was trying to hide behind his back. "Oh wait, it looks like it was opened."

Mika gulped, keeping himself steady.

"What's this? Did someone reject your affections, Mika?"

Mika shook his head. "No, it's nothing like that."

"Really? Then that's good." Krul stood from the bottom of the stairs, reaching up to Mika's face with both hands. Her sharp claws grazed his cheeks, but he showed no reaction. "Because a Shindo can't have close friends, only business partners to be used and discarded until you become head of the household, isn't that right? You've tried before, but every time you got close to someone, they pushed you away after learning of your heritage, right?"

Mika said nothing, only waited for her to finish having her fun. Krul giggled as she turned back toward the staircase, her robes twirling around her. "It's a shame really, but it can't be helped." She shrugged, turned back around once five steps up and taller than him. "Your parents are coming back," she said abruptly.

Mikaela forgot his earlier calm, his aura spiking with anxiety. "When?"

"Monday," answered Krul. "So you'd better have yourself sorted out by then." When Mika nodded, tried to hurry past her, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. "I noticed that you were suspended from school on Thursday and Friday," she hissed, "don't think I wouldn't." Krul's voice had taken on a coldness, and whenever that coldness came, so did punishment. Sweat beaded on Mikaela's forehead. "I don't know _why_ you were suspended, but you're lucky that I haven't told your parents. I also noticed that you've been coming home from school later than usual. Are you trying to skip out on updates about the Corporation, missing dinner by doing homework?" she questioned, her hand squeezing his arm, nails digging into his skin mercilessly.

"No, of course not," said Mika quickly.

Krul smiled again, this time dangerously. Her nails drew blood from his arm. "I don't believe you. You know that you can't join any clubs or hang out with people after school because your grades and involvement in the family business are way more important. You're too busy learning how to become the next heir to be socializing with people who will only end up leaving you in the end, right?"

Mika had stopped listening to her a while ago, being that he had heard this spiel many times, ever since he was old enough to understand it. His gaze was focused only on the marble statue on the first landing of the main staircase, of a woman pouring water over herself from a large vase.

"Right?" Krul pressed. Her nails dug deeper.

Slowly, Mika's eyes shifted to meet hers, matching the coldness Krul had held before, though now she was antagonized. "Of course, Lady Krul. I wouldn't dream of it."

Finally she let go. Then, glaring, she jabbed one arm up the stairs. "Hurry up and go to sleep. We have a busy day of preparing for your parents' return tomorrow, and I won't have anyone slacking off."

Mika did as he was told. He walked up the rest of the stairs and turned onto the left flight toward his room, feeling Krul's crimson eyes piercing his back the entire way. He walked down hallways and past portraits worth more yen than most got in a year's salary, all dark with the only light from Krul's candlestick left behind. The rest of the mansion was asleep, being that it was almost midnight. When he left the Hyakuya Orphanage to give Yuichiro his birthday present, it'd been just past 9 o'clock, and he'd taken his time getting home, hoping foolishly that maybe for once Krul wouldn't notice. Absently, he rubbed the dry blood surrounding the pinpricks on his arm. The holes weren't deep, so they were no longer bleeding, but they itched.

The door to Mikaela's room was as grand as any, with gilded patterns carved into mahogany and a sharp, curly handle. He flipped on the light switch as it creaked open, a king-sized four-poster bed and marble-lined bathroom welcoming him on the inside. Mika set the unwrapped gift of gaudy green chrome headphones on the table to his right and entered the bathroom for a change of clothing when he heard someone else open his creaky door.

"My, my, Mika..." Silk white gloves hooked around the door, Krul's best butler peered halfway in, grinning at Mika with his dancing ruby eyes. "You sure are home late."

"What do you want, Ferid?" demanded Mikaela, stepping backward. "Come to give me your own lecture?"

Dressed in a slick black tailcoat with a shiny white tie, Ferid Bathory sauntered into the room with a hand on his hip. "Hardly. I was just wondering why the Young Master has been staying out so late recently." He caught sight of the headphones on the entrance table beside them and turned back to Mika. "Visit someone's house to give them a gift? How thoughtful of you."

"It's none of your business," Mikaela snapped.

Ferid's gaze switched coolly back to him. "I'm afraid that it is, actually. If you're neglecting your duties as heir to the Shindo Corporation, then we will have no choice but to interfere in your personal affairs and take action."

Mika turned back toward the bathroom. "Get out, Ferid. I was already told by Krul that my parents are returning. I would like some time away from your nosy, prying eyes before –"

Chillingly soft, Ferid rested one hand on Mikaela's shoulder as he tried to turn around. The motion sent shivers up and down Mikaela's spine. "Young Master Mikaela, I understand that you feel the staff is too hard on you and smothering at times, but I assure you that it's all for your own good, and will only make things easier in the future when you take up your father's place in the family business. Right now, what you're going through, is nothing more than teenage rebellion. It will eventually pass, but we cannot stand for such behavior. Your parents have high expectations for you and will not allow failure as an option. Have I made myself clear?"

"Get off –"

Mikaela tried to push Ferid's hand off his shoulder, but his grip only tightened. He asked again, whispering in Mikaela's ear, " _Have I made myself clear?_ "

"Yes! Fine!" Mikaela shouted, finally getting Ferid to lean away. "Now go away and let me sleep!"

Ferid smiled pleasantly at Mika with a tilt of his head, his earlier intensity having completely dissolved. "Of course, Young Master. I'll be here to help you get dressed early tomorrow." He twirled on one heel and left the room without a sound.

Mika pushed the creaky door shut behind him and laid against it, his heart beating profusely as a rapid _knock-knock_ , _knock-knock_ against his ribcage. Mika let go of the breath he'd been holding since the butler arrived, clutching his white button-down undershirt. Usually, Ferid left all disciplinary action to Krul when Mika had been younger – or, on the rare occasions they were home, sometimes to his mother or father. But there was an air to Ferid that Mikaela had never liked, ever since he was a boy. Something lecherous, filled with an unbound _lust_. It was a feeling he had tried to mention to Krul, but she only laughed and waved off the accusation since Mika had no evidence to prove it.

From the entrance table, the tinted-green chrome headphones glistened back at Mika in the soft light of his bedroom, and he was reminded of the hug that him and Yuichiro had shared before all this. Mika was able to bring his breathing down to a steady rhythm.

He thought of what Krul had said as he scrubbed shampoo through his pale blond locks of hair in the shower, the hot water burning his back as it trailed all down his body. _"You're too busy learning how to become the next heir to be socializing with people who will only end up leaving you in the end, right?"_

 _"Because a Shindo can't have close friends, only business partners to be used and discarded until you become head of the household, isn't that right? You've tried before, and every time you got close to someone, they pushed you away after learning of your heritage, right?"_

 _That's not true,_ said a voice of hope. _If anything, Yuu seems more interested to learn about my family than scared._ Then again, Yuu was too dim-witted to figure out that Mikaela was a Shindo and heir to the famous Shindo Corporation on his own. If he found out...

 _He'd run away. Just like everyone else..._

Changed into his nightclothes, Mikaela sighed and sunk into bed with his arms spread on either side of him. Then he stared at the wooden top of his four-poster bed, which blocked his view of the ceiling.

 _"Why don't you want to become a professional pianist? I mean, it's obviously really important to you, and you are really good at it..."_

 _Stupid Yuu,_ thought Mika, repeating what he'd said to Yuichiro at the time. _If only someone like me had the option of pursuing what I want..._

As he drifted to sleep, Mika soothed himself to the sensation of Yuu's arms around his shoulders, and the dream of seeing his smile and those vibrant emerald eyes for an eternity.

* * *

 **~Mezzo forte~**

* * *

Monday arrived and everyone was back at school – Yuichiro and Mikaela included. At lunch, Mika sat with what had come to be known around the entire junior class as the Shinoa Squad from how infamous the two girls were for teasing whomever they could, and the three (now four) boys usually just happened to be nearby. Normally, he ate his lunch quickly in the hall and then used the remaining time for homework unless someone passed him by. He decided that he had more than enough time for homework after class got out for the day.

"I'm going to sit here next to you, okay, Yuu?" Mikaela asked, bento box in hand.

Already sitting in his circle of friends, Yuu said, "Sure, Mika, I'll scoot over –" He caught Shinoa watching him with one hand over her mouth on the other side. Her shoulders twitched. She leaned over to whisper something to Mitsuba as Mika pulled up a chair and sat down beside Yuichiro, and then both of them were giggling.

Mika caught where Yuu was looking and blinked at the two girls, unable to tell what they were giggling about. "Yuu?"

Yuichiro jolted and went back to his lunch. "Eat your food," he muttered, shoveling rice into his mouth.

Mikaela didn't understand what was so funny to the two girls, but continued to eat his lunch without protest. All throughout lunch Yuu only spoke to Mika in strings of half-sentences unless someone else also tried to ask him something. Shinoa and Mitsuba seemed quite entertained by it all while Shiho and Yoichi did their best to ignore them.

This went on for days.

A few weeks later, thoroughly confused, Mikaela joined in on the conversation about the release of Yuichiro's and Shiho's next favorite shoot-'em-up series, which only left him more confused.

"What?! You've never played _Call of Duty_?!" Shiho burst, almost spewing juice all over the classroom floor with Mitsuba grunting "ew" beside him.

"Yeah, I've never had much time for video games," Mikaela admitted. "I've been busy with other things, "

Yuu shook his head in disbelief. "We have _got_ to get you in front of a computer one day."

"Hell yeah we do!" Shiho agreed.

Mika cocked an eyebrow, still not understanding. "Oh... okay."

After swallowing, Yuu interjected smartly, "Mika, I know you're more into the tragic piano thing, but... _Call of Duty_ , I mean, c'mon!"

When Mikaela just laughed awkwardly, Yoichi, who had also been listening to the conversation, leaned over to him and whispered, "It's okay, I have no idea what they're talking about either. Just nod and pretend to understand."

"I heard that, Yoichi!" Yuu accused, pointing at him.

Yoichi chuckled. "I know~"

It was a week later that something unexpected transpired during the only class that Yuu and Mikaela had together. Shinoa, who sat behind Yuichiro, must have whispered something to set Yuu off, for _while_ the teacher was talking, Yuu screamed, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY?!" This caused the professor to stop class to give Yuu a very long speech about how the current generation had no "respect for authority." Red in the face, Yuu only stared at his desk the entire time – until he noticed Mika watching him in the front row. Then Yuu flushed pale and sat down for the remainder of the teacher's long-winded lecture.

Now what was that about?

After class, Mika approached Yuu's desk. "Yuu, what did Shinoa say to you that made you angry enough to blurt out in the middle of class?" he asked curiously, laughing as he remembered how agitatedly flustered their high-strung math professor had been.

However, Yuu couldn't seem to meet Mika's eyes for any longer than a split second and babbled incoherently as he inched out of his desk. "W-well, sh-she said, um, th-that is –"

"Go on, Yuu, _tell him_ ," egged on Shinoa, arms folded across her chest with Mitsuba standing beside her as backup. "Or perhaps you would rather _I_ tell him~?"

Yuu let out a roar of frustration as he hurried from the classroom.

Okay, that was it. Something was off and had been ever since Yuu's birthday in October.

Shinoa and Mitsuba giggled even harder as Mika chased after him down the hall.

"Jeez, Yuu! Slow down!" Mikaela yelled.

"You're only embarrassing yourself more!" Shinoa called from the classroom, but Yuu kept running with his book bag hitting against his shoulder.

"I'll see you later, Mika!"

"Yuu?!"

Yuu screeched and staggered back to find that Mikaela had somehow gotten in front of him.

"What's going on?" he asked, out of breath. "What's this about?"

"Nothing."

Both of the girls rolled over in laughter from the classroom as Mikaela raised his eyebrows disbelievingly at Yuu, whose cheeks were dusted pink again. " _Shut up,_ you two!" he yelled down the hall at them, but the girls paid no heed.

"What are they laughing about, Yuu?" Mika asked again.

Still Yuichiro couldn't meet Mika's gaze. He couldn't even form any words. "Um..."

"Cherry boy!" shrieked Shinoa from the classroom.

"Your face is so red! You look like an actual cherry!" Mitsuba chimed in.

"Just tell him!"

Yuu still didn't meet Mika's eyes. "Mika, they said, uh..."

Though he was entirely wrong, Mikaela thought he understood what this was all about; why Yuu was acting more stiff than usual, not meeting his eyes, acting all twitchy around him unless someone else was around. _He knows,_ Mika thought. _He found out who I am – what I am: the heir of the Shindo family._ And after everything Yuu had said and they'd already been through, Mika was sure that now Yuu couldn't take it. "It's okay, Yuu. I understand."

Yuu's eyes flashed up to his face so suddenly, with all the fear and confusion in the world, but Mikaela took it as confirmation of his suspicions. "You do?!" If Mikaela hadn't actually known what Yuu was so embarrassed about, perhaps his tranquil expression would have made less sense to Yuichiro, if not coupled with what he said next.

"Yeah. It's okay if you don't want to be friends anymore," he said quietly. "This has happened before."

"It has?!" Yuu tried not to screech at the top of his lungs.

"Yeah..." Mika's voice had grown wistful and low, and at that point, Yuu was expecting to be swept off his feet and carried off to Mika's mansion, unicorns and rainbows sprouting in the background right then.

But no. Now it was Mikaela who wouldn't meet Yuu's eyes, and he was turning away, back toward the classroom where Shinoa and Mitsuba were whistling at them.

"Mika...? Hey wait, Mika?!" Yuichiro tried to reach after him as he followed, but Mikaela shoved him away. For once Shinoa and Mitsuba stood silent, unable to hear what they were saying.

"No! Just stop!" Mikaela shouted, swiping one arm violently as he turned back around.

"Stop what?!" Yuu asked, almost running into him.

"You don't have to pretend to be my friend anymore! That's what you've been trying to say, isn't it?! That you don't want to be my friend now that you know who I am!"

Yuu blinked, the image of Mikaela carrying him off to his mansion now only a fading foggy fantasy in his mind. "Mika, what're you saying?!"

"Don't play dumb with me!" Mikaela insisted. "I'm surprised you didn't realize it before, but I'm a Shindo! Can't you just tell by looking at me?! I'm just a filthy rich kid who no one wants to be friends with, thinking I'm just someone who only looks for friends for the business benefits, who's so rich I'll buy people gifts to make them become friends with me... No one wants anything to do with me, and you shouldn't pretend to either!"

"MIKA!"

Right then, Mikaela saw how serious the confusion and hurt aligned each of Yuichiro's features – how his emerald eyes were set dead-on, his mouth a thin line, jaw agape. Slowly, Yuu shook his head. "I have... no idea what you're talking about." Yuu shrugged a little as he went on, "I admit that I thought you were just another rich kid when we first were becoming friends, but now, I think I understand..."

Mikaela waited, chest heaving from all the yelling he'd done earlier.

"You seem to know everything about everyone, and you get along with all of them, but when it comes to actual friends, you don't consider anyone close enough to be able to trust or even hang out with. You give everyone the same pleasantness and the same smile, but you're always hiding something... from everyone. Something that..." Yuu took a small breath. "That you've only shown to me a couple times."

Mikaela cocked his head slightly in question, lips parting slowly as if to ask, but Yuu answered before he could. "It was when you played piano."

Mikaela looked startled then, and his hands folded awkwardly in front of him, head down, until Yuu continued.

"I don't know if this has to do with your parents, or if it's something more than that," Yuu stated, "but I... I want to help you, Mika, if I can. I don't know what you mean, going on about with being a Shindo, but I do know one thing... I..." Yuu took another breath, willing himself not to ruin it. "I've never cared about anything so deeply as your music, and that's the truth."

Shinoa and Mitsuba whispered to each other, trying to catch what Yuu and Mika were saying, but Mika just stood there with his head down. "I'm sorry, Yuu," he mumbled. When one of Mika's hands – with his agile and pale piano fingers – flew up to his own face, Yuu realized Mika's shoulders were trembling.

"Mika, are you –?"

Mikaela's other hand flew up to his face as he hurried down the hall.

Unable to comprehend the reaction, Yuu only stayed in place, watching him go.

Beside him, Shinoa blew out a breath. "My, Yuu, what'd you do? Reject him before he could even say whether he reciprocated your feelings or not?"

"No, I just said..."

"Said what?" Mitsuba prodded, voice stern. Neither of the girls were expecting Yuu, being the blockhead he was, to have made someone cry for any good reason other than beating their bullies to a bloody pulp as he'd done for Yoichi (on accident). From the lost, forlorn, and utterly shocked face Yuu wore now however, they gathered whatever Yuu must have said hadn't been hurtful in the slightest.

Sighing, Shinoa uncrossed her arms. "Well go on."

Yuu looked at her. "What?"

"Go after him."

A switch flipped in Yuu's mind, seeing as it was _Shinoa_ who was telling him what to do, and he reverted back to his usual crass. "No way, I'm not gonna –!"

"Jeez, Yuu," said Shinoa, walking straight up to Yuu and pointing one finger directly between his eyebrows. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were _trying_ to make him cry. But you weren't. Whatever you said, you can't just _leave it_ like that! Don't you want to stay friends with him?!"

Yuichiro scratched the back of his head. "Well yeah, but I don't want you or anyone else thinking I'm –" Yuu cut himself off, trying to stop the blush from stretching across his face.

"You're what?" Mitsuba droned. "Gay as hell?"

Yuu glared at her, then slowly his arm lowered back to his side and he looked down the hall. "Besides, last class is going to start soon, so we'd better –"

"Since when did you care so much about getting to class on time?" Mitsuba asked as he walked down the hall in the opposite direction.

"Since I got suspended and lectured by Guren for the umpteenth time!"

"Yuu! You can't be serious about this!" Shinoa yelled at him.

"I didn't ask for your opinion!" Yuu yelled back at her.

Puffing out her cheeks, Shinoa crossed her arms again. "Jeez. I can't believe him."

"Yeah. At least we were never this dramatic while confessing," said Mitsuba. Seeing how puffed-up Shinoa seemed about the entire ordeal, she placed one arm around her shoulders. "Wow, you really care if they get together, don't you?" she whispered.

"What does it matter to you?" said Shinoa breathlessly, having Mitsuba's weight on her and leaning so close.

Mitsuba leaned closer still. "Maybe we should skip class instead."

Shinoa's face lit as red as a Christmas lightbulb at that.

* * *

 **~Tacet~**

* * *

It was literature class a few days later, and the class was, once again, reading "The Red Ogre Who Cried." Yuu absolutely _could not_ focus with his mind only on the tears he'd seen streaming down Mikaela's face as he rushed past him, so Yuu requested the bathroom pass.

Mikaela wasn't avoiding Yuu, but he certainly wasn't the same cheerful Mika that everyone was friends with, and somehow Yuichiro knew that it had almost nothing to do with what he'd said about Mikaela's piano playing. Yuu was pondering this fact and just finishing his business on the toilet when the door slammed open and he heard a familiar voice talking furiously to someone on the phone.

"They can't seriously want me to come home right now during school, can they?" Mika asked as he paced around the bathroom.

Yuu hoped not to be noticed, but then the automatic toilet flushed and Yuu felt Mika's surprise at the realization someone else was in the bathroom. He had no choice but to emerge from the stall.

"Okay," said Mikaela, transfixed upon Yuu as he washed his hands. "I'll see what I can do. Bye." He held the phone to his chest with both hands. "Hi, Yuu."

"Hi." Yuu reached around Mika for the dryer, who moved out of the way, leaning against the sinks as the noisy air-blower rang throughout the bathroom and – surely – half of the empty halls.

"So, was that your...?"

"My butler," Mika answered uneasily. He felt sick to his stomach just mentioning Ferid.

"Oh..."

More noisy hand dryer.

Mika said, "Yuu, I –"

"I'll be getting to class then," Yuu said.

"Wait, Yuu. I'm sorry if I've been... less friendly. It has nothing to do with what you said, I promise."

"That's fine, I understand if you have a lot going on that you don't want me to know. I honestly had no idea what the big deal was about being a Shindo."

"Oh..." Mika didn't know what to do with that information for the time being. He would think on it later. "Then," he said, "I just wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"If all that time those girls _weren't_ teasing you about my family, then what did Shinoa say that made you so mad? They can't seem to stop giggling whenever they're around you."

Yuichiro tried to come up with anything that would satisfy the curiosity in Mikaela's eyes, but since the only thing that occupied his mind was Mitsuba's unamused face boring deeply into him as she said _"gay as hell,"_ he said nothing.

"What is it?"

"It was just... something stupid."

"What?"

 _Might as well get out with it. I mean, it's completely stupid anyway, isn't it?_ There was no way to make it worse than it already was, being that he was letting every small gesture make him flustered. "They said –" Yuu rolled his eyes at how nervous he was. "They keep teasing me as if... I like you or something."

Mikaela studied Yuu closely. "Like me? But we're friends, aren't we?"

Yuu's arms swayed, head lolling about the empty bathroom. "Yeah. But they meant... 'like' as in... you know..."

Mika knew. He knew when he saw how rigid Yuu had gone. Mika took a few steps back. "Oh. I see."

"Yeah, it's stupid, isn't it?" Yuu laughed. "Just because I wanted to be friends with you 'cause I like how you play piano."

Mikaela couldn't stop himself. "Is it that stupid?" He regretted saying it before it came out of his mouth, and immediately hid his face behind the shadow of his blond bangs.

Yuu looked Mika all up and down, and saw his posture didn't suggest anything other than shame with the way his head was bowed and he looked like he wanted nothing more than to leave. "B-but we..." Yuu shook himself out of it. "We're both guys!" he exclaimed. When Mika gave no response, Yuu stammered half-heartedly, "A-and we've only known each other for a few months...!"

Eyes still hidden, Mika nodded. "Yeah. I guess it is a little weird." Another moment passed, and he leaned off of the sink, headed toward the door. "Well. I'd better be getting back to class. See you."

As Mikaela walked by, Yuu felt as if time for him had stopped, and was stuck that way until the bathroom door closed. Then Yuu was trembly all over, in all the wrong ways. He didn't understand and splashed himself in the face with water over and over again until he had cleared his mind. Had he just hurt Mika's feelings? But why would Mika care? Unless he...

 _No, but it can't be,_ Yuu thought. _He's always flirting with girls in the class..._

Actually, Yuu had seen him act just as polite to boys... But it didn't make sense. If Mika did, in fact, lean... _that_ way, then why had his reaction been so...?

Yuu thought it over and over and over again, but none of it could make sense to him. They were only friends, right? Yuu definitely enjoyed hearing him play piano being that he had never been more captivated by anything in his life, that was all... Mika enjoyed playing for him because he had no other friends, that was all...

But no... Yuu had been changed, ever so slightly and slowly, like the rolling waves of the sea. He knew he had. He'd stopped looking to his music as an escape and instead to Mika's piano playing as an inspiration. Every day, his mind was more in what he was doing. Rather than looking forward to when he'd be able to shut it all out and listen to songs he could recite in his sleep, he looked forward to the moments they could...

Hold on... He hadn't heard Mika play anything in almost a month, being so busy with his parents' return, and yet it was as if... Was it _not_ Mika's piano playing that drew Yuichiro to him...?

...Then what was it?

 _"Is it that stupid?"_ came Mika's quiet voice in the back of Yuu's mind.

 _Ah, it doesn't matter,_ Yuu figured, recounting the uncomfortable jittery feeling he'd experienced after Mikaela had left the bathroom. _Nothing will come of it either way. I'll apologize to him later and everything will go back to normal, so I should stop thinking about it..._

Yuu splashed himself in the face with cold water one last time for good measure, then exited the bathroom. The bell rang just five minutes after Yuu reentered the literature classroom.

He'd been in the bathroom brooding for over half an hour.

* * *

 **I have never gotten so many messages in my inbox from FFN for any reason in the span of only a few days as I did for chapter 5 of this fanfic... Thank you all so much for your constant support! ^^ I got this idea randomly one day on a whim so I'm quite surprised and overjoyed that so many people like the story. Once again, thank you!**

 **This chapter took a little longer (and here was me saying they'd come faster with more attention psht), 'cause life's been busy, but I hope it was worth the wait! (Now, now, how will our little Yuu deal with this new knowledge of what he thinks of Mika, hm~?)**

 **I almost hate to ask after the glorious amount of activity I received for the last chapter, but please do not forget to leave your thoughts below~! I enjoy every single one of your opinions, and your feedback has been so helpful to help me write this fic and make it better~**


	7. Ashes

**WARNING** **: This chapter contains some graphic depictions of violence that may be triggering. Please read cautiously.**

* * *

Chapter VII: **Ashes**

* * *

2 A.M. on a school night, voices screamed on the other side of the wall. Furniture knocked around, the sounds of a scuffle emitting from the other room. 14 years old at the time was Yuu crouched in a corner in his usual position: his arms wrapped around his legs, head buried in his knees, earbuds in his ears. His parents had found out about him wandering the streets and smacked him for it; put locks on his windows so he couldn't even escape on top of the apartment complex and watch the stars, waiting for the fight to pass. Though he tried his best to focus only on the tremolo violins rattling back and forth between his ears in _Eleanor Rigby_ , he couldn't stop the sound of his own pulse beating through his mind.

 _"All the lonely people; where do they all come from?"_ he lipped, squeezing his eyes shut, ignoring the fight outside as best he could. _"All the lonely people; where do they all belong?"_ Yuu's shoulders shook at the next sound of someone being slammed against the wall of his room, and he lifted his face from his knees when he heard his mother shriek. Then it was silent.

Crawling forward toward the door, Yuu carefully pulled the white earbuds from his ears, his teary, citrine eyes probing the area outside. There was no movement or sign of anything except the overturned furniture in the living room, and for a moment Yuu thought that perhaps his parents had taken their fight elsewhere.

But then he saw her: his mother lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood, knife in hand, his father standing above her, his face in his hands.

John Lennon singing faintly in the background, Yuu stood up, walked toward the weeping man. "D-dad...? What... what happened...?"

Without lifting his face from his hands, the man seethed, "I told you to stay in your room!"

"B-but I heard –"

Face red and voice sharp, he yelled, "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HEARD! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO STAY IN YOUR ROOM!" With Yuu cowering beneath him, the man bent down to take the bloodied handle of the knife from the limp hand of Yuichiro's mother.

Yuu, fully registering her for the first time, felt bile rise from his stomach and burn all up his throat. He stopped himself from puking his school lunch all over the carpet with his hands, but was fixated upon the crazed man coming toward him with the kitchen knife gleaming in his palms. Though his animalistic instincts told him to be on the defensive at once, Yuu never thought his father would turn on him just like that. "D-dad, what're you...?"

The man screamed, wielding the knife, and that's when everything went black.

* * *

 **~Eco~**

* * *

It was Monday morning when Yuu awoke with tears in his eyes, making them crusty and cold. Yuu turned his head, glancing at the clock to see that he still had forty minutes until he was supposed to go to school. He'd awoken before his alarm.

Yuu rubbed his eyes and sniffled as he sat up in bed, looking out to the darkness outside his window, only a small, lighter tint of blue to indicate the sun was coming up. _I haven't had a dream about that time in a few months... What could have brought it on?_

He went to the bathroom and washed his face multiple times as if to wash out the disturbing images from his past, but the freezing water did little to ease the anxiety that would be frozen within him for at least the next few days. As he dressed, pulling off his pajamas and then pulling on his white undershirt and then navy blue jacket and pants, he thought idly about what was for lunch to try to get his mind off the dream, but it was always there in the back of his mind, and always would be.

Sitting on his bed fully dressed, Yuu stared out the window, watching the sky become lighter and lighter, slowly filling him with the energy he needed to get through the day.

"Yuu, get up for school!" Akane bellowed as she opened his door. Seeing him already awake, he saw the surprise in her face. "Oh... You're already dressed?" Without waiting for him to reply, feeling a forlorn aura around him, she said, "Breakfast is ready and it's butter and toast, so hurry up!" Then she whisked out the door before she could ask why he looked so zombie-ish.

Yuu chewed on the bread and butter as he walked behind Akane and her friends. Eventually Yoichi and Shiho caught up with them as well.

"Yuu!" Yoichi greeted cheerfully while Shiho grumbled a "hi, Idiot Yuu."

"Hey, guys."

There was something vacant about Yuu's tone that Yoichi and Shiho caught onto at once. It had happened many times before.

"Was it another dream?" Yoichi asked.

Yuu nodded. "Yeah..."

Almost always it was left at that, since any of Yoichi's attempts to try to make Yuu talk about it were unsuccessful – and no one else could make Yuu open up like Yoichi could.

First class was math, and Yuu was prepared to tune out all of it when he noticed the empty seat a few rows in front of him. _Where's Mika...?_

Yuu expected him to appear a quarter of the way through class like he usually did. But an hour later when the bell rung, he still hadn't turned up. He didn't show up for next block either.

Or the block after that.

Or last block of the day.

Yuu walked home in a daze different than that of the morning. Mikaela had been tardy plenty of times, left school in the middle of the day, – this, Yuu was certain, even if that had been before they'd become friends, – but Mika had never missed a full day, or even the half days on Saturdays. His attendance was splotchy at times due to his involvement in the family business, but otherwise perfect just like his grades.

 _Maybe he finally caught a cold that was bad enough to make him stay home,_ Yuu figured, shrugging. He pushed Mika's absence and his dream out of his mind while he worked on his homework in his room, all the way up until bedtime.

But Mikaela wasn't at school the next day either.

Nor on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.

Yuu had long since gotten Mika's number and texted him a few times each day to try to see what was up, but Mika seldom answered his phone on normal days, and usually with only a few words. Snippets of their last conversation came to Yuichiro's mind, and Yuu was afraid he'd done something to make Mikaela stop coming to school forever. Maybe he was avoiding Yuu after... what he'd said in the bathroom? _It couldn't be; Mika wouldn't let something like that get to him._ And wouldn't that mean...

Before he could complete the thought, a more terrifying idea invaded Yuu's mind. Yuu recalled the dream he'd had on Monday and felt his chest tighten, his breath draw short. What if the same had happened to Mika...?

What if someone in his family committed suicide before his eyes, and another came at him with the intent to kill?

Something like that would be in the news, wouldn't it? Especially about an important family like the Shindos, right?

Yuu was about ready to swipe an address book from a public telephone booth and find out where Mika lived, but finally, the blond showed up to school on Saturday.

The moment Yuu saw Mika at his desk, Yuu ran up and pounced on him, barely realizing what he was doing. "Mika! You're alive!" he exclaimed joyfully, more or less choking back a sob.

When Yuu pulled away, he felt immediately that there was an air about Mikaela that was different today. He'd jolted and leaned back when Yuu hugged him too. "Oh, hi, Yuu," he mumbled, meeting his eyes but not really focusing on him.

Shinoa and Mitsuba walked in the classroom giggling at them, but Yuu didn't let them bother him this time as he frowned. Even as Mika turned his face to the papers on his desk, Yuu saw the grey circles under his eyes, his sluggish movements. "Mika, where have you been all this time?"

Mika looked up for a second, his blue eyes flashing with something unplaceable then, but only for a second. "Huh? Oh, I was sick," he said dismissively.

Yuu was reluctant to press further. Before he could, a flock of girls came up to Mika's desk to ask where he'd been too, saying they'd missed him. Mika gave them the same answer with his good-natured laugh and smile, and for some reason this only made Yuu's stomach churn. He retreated back to his desk without saying anything more.

At lunch, Mika stayed out in the hallway instead of sitting with everyone, saying it was to try to catch up on homework, so by the end of the day, Yuu knew something was up. He definitely didn't want this to become a common occurrence like with Mika avoiding him in the second week they'd known each other. While the teacher was grouping students together to clean their assigned parts of the school, Yuu made sure he heard where Mikaela would be.

"He probably just needs some space," said Shiho, after hearing Yuu's plan to confront Mika, but Yuu shook his head.

"I doubt it; even when things aren't going well, he usually doesn't let it get to him this much..." Yuu didn't know that for sure, or if this had happened before they'd become friends. Either way, he wanted to try to help Mika in any way he could, and confirm that whatever it was bothering Mikaela had nothing to do with what he'd said in the bathroom.

Amazingly, Shinoa and Mitsuba were able to remain quiet; Yuu had already threatened to tear their throats out if they made any jokes about him being gay for Mika around Yoichi and Shiho, to which the girls had replied, sly smirks and shadows over their faces, _"The truth will out with time."_ Their constant teasing still annoyed Yuu to no end, but with Mikaela being absent and acting strangely, there was something more important on Yuu's mind.

The dreams about his past had returned far fiercer than before, and he hadn't heard Mikaela play piano since his birthday over a month and a half ago.

For his own sake and Mika's, Yuu wanted to get this resolved.

* * *

 **~Lagrimoso~**

* * *

Mika saw him waiting at the entrance of the school with his book bag slung over his shoulder, and sighed inwardly.

Yuu fell in step beside the blond. "Hey, Mika."

"Hi, Yuu."

"I can't believe you missed so much! I'm sure you have a lot of schoolwork to make up."

"Yeah."

Yuu eyed the side of Mika's face carefully, but Mika gave nothing away. "So. What were you sick with?"

Mika shrugged, turning the other way a little. "I'm not sure."

"Well, whatever it was, it made you miss five whole days of school."

"Yeah."

Yuichiro exhaled loudly. They were getting nowhere this way. "Okay, what was it actually? Your family?"

Mika shrugged again, making Yuu a little irritated. "I guess that's part of it."

"Your parents came back about a month ago, didn't they?" Yuu remembered the half of the dialogue he'd heard between Mika and his butler in the bathroom.

"Look, Yuu." Mika stopped at the stoplight curb where they usually parted ways, finally looking at Yuu in the face. Even if there was an annoyed squint to his cerulean eyes and cold winter air blew blond locks around them, Yuu's heart flipped. Mika hadn't really looked at him for over a week, meaning no one had. "I thought we agreed not to ask the other about their parents, hm?"

"Yeah, but –"

"I have to be getting back," Mika said, already heading down the street in the direction of his house. "As you said, I have a lot of work to catch up on, so –"

"Mika? W-wait!" For a few blocks, Yuu jogged after Mikaela, who dodged through the sea of people as fast as he could to get away from Yuu. When Yuichiro got close enough to reach out for him, he grabbed Mikaela's arm. "Hold it right there, Mika!"

Mika turned around, taking his arm out of his hold with an angry twist. "Jeez, Yuu! You're so annoying! What do you want?!"

"I just want to know why you're being so unfriendly."

Mikaela scoffed, rolling his eyes – and his head – down the entire street in exasperation. "Okay, fine, it has to do with my parents. You satisfied now?"

Without waiting for an answer, Mika turned around and marched down the sidewalk, but even with the gears turning in his head, Yuu recovered quickly enough to stop him. Mika twisted out of his grip again.

"Just stop!" Mika yelled. "Why do you care so much?!" The few people who weren't watching their smart phones glanced at Yuu and Mika as they walked by.

"Because I don't want us to drift apart, Mika!" Yuu shouted, equally exasperated. "I don't know what kind of dealings you've had with people in the past, but I don't care about your family being rich and famous, okay?! I like spending time with you! I want to be your friend!"

Mika pulled his book bag farther up on his arm. "Well, you don't treat friends this way!" He was turning away again but Yuu had already caught hold of him. "What?!" he said so sharply that Yuu let go. His eyes lowered timidly, which made Mika stop.

"I just... I..." Yuu's face had gone red with a different kind of embarrassment as he sucked in a breath. The previous night's nightmare cycled through his head, causing him to tremble. His father lighting matches in the kitchen; the cupboards catching aflame. The carpet soaked with Yuu's blood and a lighting fire that swam before his eyes, beside his mother's corpse. Yuu really didn't want to talk about it. He never did. But... the only way he got through to Mikaela was when he was honest. "I have dreams," he whispered so quietly that Mika had to lean closer to make sure he heard the rest of what Yuu said. "Dreams about my parents. Dreams where I'm still with them, and everything is a question of _when_ someone will get hurt, not _if_ they will." Yuu stole a glance up at Mikaela, whose sour expression had been replaced by something akin to fear. Yuu rubbed his freezing hands together. "I used to use music to ignore the dreams during the day, but they always came back at night. Although, ever since I heard you play piano, Mika... the dreams, they..." Yuu fidgeted even more. "They went away. The dreams went away. I don't have them anymore. Or, I didn't, until you..."

Mikaela's fingers, warm and soft, found Yuichiro's, cold and trembling. Heat shot to Yuu's face at once and he almost combusted with the way Mika watched him with such concern in his bright blue eyes, as if he knew exactly what Yuu was going through. "I understand," he murmured. "I'm sorry, I didn't know..."

Yuu didn't realize he was crying until a gust of winter wind came by and he felt his face was even icier than before. They were getting weird looks, standing in the middle of the sidewalk with Yuu crying, Mika holding his hands. Quickly, Mika let go, and instead wrapped an arm around Yuu's shoulders as they continued to walk down the road. "My parents aren't violent like yours were," Mika said as they walked, getting Yuu's attention as he furiously wiped his face, "but they seek perfection in everything, and the punishment is always ugly when they don't get it. They won't let me do much aside from homework and upholding the Shindo Corporation, but... they wanted me to learn piano to help me get into a good college. I hated it at first," he said, much to Yuu's surprise.

"Wh-what...?" Yuu gasped, drying his eyes.

"Yeah, I didn't like playing piano. Not one bit," said Mika, laughing a little. "But then... it's something that's always been with me... Throughout all the bad, it's been the only thing that hasn't changed, except in a good way. And..." Mikaela glanced at Yuu, took his arm off his shoulders. "I guess it's what drew you to me?" he asked, hopeful.

Yuu sniffed once more and grinned at him. "Of course!"

Mika sighed in contentment. "Then all those painful lessons were worth it after all..."

Yuu perked up from what Mika just muttered to himself. He couldn't find anything to say in return.

Instead, Yuu relished the silence between them with only an occasional gust of wind, the sound of footsteps as they walked farther and farther from Inner Tokyo.

* * *

 **~Intimo~**

* * *

Yuu wasn't sure whether or not to comment on the size of the mansion when they reached it. It wasn't large, dark, and menacing like something from a horror story or cartoon, but it was definitely bigger than any house he'd ever seen. The yard alone was bigger than the entire block of the Hyakuya Orphanage. The outside said it was definitely from the colonial era, when settlers had come from the West to colonize Japan, with tall white pillars and arches, and thick red and white bricks all along the outside.

Mika pushed the door open for both of them, and after they'd kicked off their shoes and hung up their school jackets, Yuu's deduction was further confirmed by the double staircase in the front, the spacious foyer that exited to what looked like the den and dining room to one side, library and study-slash-lounge to the other. Elegant furniture resided in each, Greek-looking statuettes on the stairs' landing, railings, and other table surfaces throughout the areas Yuu could see. They headed toward the library-lounge half.

"My parents are traveling again until the holidays," said Mika, "but my attendants are here. If they see you, there might be trouble –"

"My, my, this is a surprise."

Mika flinched at the voice behind them that came from the dining room. Yuu spun around to see a man with long silver hair, a long tailcoat with silky white gloves adorning his unearthly defined lanky stature and facial features. "Ferid, if Krul asks, we're working on a school project together," said Mika without turning around.

When the butler sneered, his expression was cat-like. "Oh Mika, do you expect me to believe that lie?" Something about the butler's patronizing tone didn't sit well with Yuu.

"No, it's what I expect you to tell her," said Mika, glaring at him.

Ferid bowed to them with a hand on his chest, the other wrapped behind him. "As you wish."

"Good. Come this way, Yuu." Mika held Ferid's ruby eyes with a hostile gaze of his own until him and Yuu had disappeared around the corner. Yuu was starting to wonder why he was there if he would only cause trouble, but the room after the library which they arrived in was none other than the music room. Its white, concave ceiling, circular walls, and windows on all sides indicated the room was made for nothing other than making and practicing music. Shelves, to the one wall beside the door, were full of it. And in the center was the sleekest, shiniest black grand piano Yuichiro had ever seen.

"I'm sorry, Yuu. You can't stay long, but I can at least give you something before you go." As Mika stepped up to the grand piano and propped its top open, he came to a halt in place. When he looked at Yuu, his face was a little pink. "Does it... does me playing piano really help your nightmares...?"

Yuu had already thought over every factor that could effect his anxiety, and found nothing to be more conclusive than Mikaela's piano. It couldn't be a coincidence. Of course, he enjoyed hearing Mikaela play piano for other reasons too. "Y-yeah, but, Mika... I don't want you to play for me just because of something dumb like that. I appreciate it, but you shouldn't so easily –"

"Don't worry, I want to play for you, Yuu!" Mika assured, grinning at him. Though Yuu felt ashamed for half-manipulating Mika to play for him with a sob story from his past, seeing Mika smile that way to Yuu and Yuu alone, – nothing at all like the fake smile he'd given those girls at school, – Yuu was even less likely to stop him.

Once Mika sat down at the piano and slid back the keyboard cover, he did something strange then. With both hands clutching the rim of the bench beneath him, Mika closed his eyes and put his head down. As Yuu waited, Mika's breathing and heartbeat became steadier. It was as if Mika had transformed into another person, for when he opened his eyes and set his fingers on the piano keys, the lofty music room stood completely still; the dust in the air ceased to move.

The first arpeggio alone lifted Yuu's mind from his body, followed by several others. This was a song Yuu had heard before, – from a movie, – though he couldn't remember which. It gave off that nostalgic feeling of youth and childhood, one inexplicable to him. With repeated notes and soothing tones, Yuu felt as if he was sailing, above the ocean, with the sky, not touching the water. He sailed over forests, his shoes only barely grazing the trees, the wind in his face, smelling pleasant, though it was rough. When the music turned, he was taken to a place that he never had been before: yet a place he could call home.

Mikaela's fingers found notes that were higher and more thoughtful, lonely, with a tenderness that made Yuu swell. Then the bass that was louder and more pronounced caused him to drift away in the eerie feeling of nostalgia once again. It grew louder, until the tempo changed, and the feeling of going to a place he never had been yet felt so much like home returned. The notes were louder, then soft, sending him back to the start... and onward from his childhood, Mikaela transitioning into the tender, lonely, and thoughtful notes so smoothly that Yuu barely realized it was happening. Then rhythm picked up, sending Yuu off through lands of all colors and sizes, chromatic scales that grew louder and more fervent with time, more energized, onto the destination that rose out of the earlier fervor, on and on, then pausing, stuttering, louder and louder, with a satisfying, yet open-ended bang.

Yuu wiped the tears from his eyes before Mika turned around and saw, but Mika heard his quiet sniffle before he lifted his hands from the piano keys, and smiled a little.

"I know that song," said Yuu, masking the wave of emotion he felt from Mika's playing from his voice best he could. "What's it called?"

"That was _One Summer's Day_ by Joe Hisaishi," said Mika, who'd gone back to himself – well, mostly. "You probably heard it from _Spirited Away_."

"Oh yeah..." Yuu tried to remember when he must have watched the movie, but he couldn't.

Mika stood from the piano, closed the cover. "I'm sorry, Yuu, but you should leave now. I don't want someone finding you and giving you a hard time. You okay?"

Yuu was once again caught off-guard by Mika's knowing concern, which made his face light up. "Uh, yeah..." At the entrance door, Yuu muttered, an arm scratching his cheek, "Thanks for playing for me, Mika..."

"Of course, Yuu. See you on Monday."

When Yuu walked out of the mansion, into the cold, he staggered back.

What was that? He felt bad for using Mika just for his piano, but Mika hadn't seemed to mind it...

 _Crap! I forgot the reason I went there in the first place! To figure out what was bothering him!_ Yuu chided himself for his own idiocy. Warm relief flooded his veins when he recalled how Mika had said he wanted to play piano for him, how he'd smiled, and –

 _Wait a minute!_ Yuu couldn't take it, how Shinoa and Mitsuba seemed to be right about him. _Arg, no! I can't give in to them! I'm_ not _gay! I can't be, I mean, I'm only jealous of Mika and those girls because I wish girls gave_ me _that much attention..._

It _definitely_ wasn't because Yuu wished Mika wouldn't waste his energy giving their classmates smiles that they didn't deserve. _I_ do not _like Mika in that way, but then..._ The way he smiled at Yuu, which made butterflies erupt in his stomach. The way he'd helped Yuu down the sidewalk while he was crying, brought him to his house, gentle, warm arms around him...

 _I can't take this._ Yuu shook his head at how hot he felt. _I've become weak. I can't take this anymore._ He didn't know what to do. He had been having constant flashbacks about death and blood, his apartment and entire life going up in ashes, and yet his newfound conscience still came to him in the end.

He couldn't deny Mikaela's music had found its way into his heart, for better or for worse.

* * *

 **~Volante~**

* * *

Once sure no one was listening outside his door, Yuu dialed the last number he ever thought he would call in his time of need. When the phone picked up, Yuu cursed himself. "Shinoa. I need your help."

Her laugh came through loud and triumphant. "Wow, Yuu, you finally cracked! You held on longer than I thought you would!"

Yuu's cheeks lit pink. "Sh-shuddup! That isn't what this is about!"

"Oh, it isn't~?"

"I need help figuring something out –"

Mitsuba spoke from the background, slurring and draining all the purpose out of Yuu. "Whoozat?"

"It's our little cherry boy," said Shinoa. "What do you need, Yuu~?"

He hung up right after that, being that he did not want to know if he'd called during anything like what he was imagining. Then he chucked his phone at the wall. Something cluttered and cracked.

"Yuichiro? Is everything okay in there?" called the Director from the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" he called back, fishing his phone out of the pile of clothes it had fallen. It was intact, but the frame of his vintage gold vinyl sure wasn't.

Then, gritting his teeth, he dialed the number again.

"Myes~?" crooned Shinoa.

Yuu said nothing, still trying to piece together the right words that wouldn't lead to an entire hour of teasing before he got the conversation he actually wanted.

"C'mon, just admit how much you care for your cute blond pianist."

Yuu blushed. "Dammit, Shinoa. You're not making this any easier."

* * *

 **I pulled this chapter out of thin air since I've been so busy and unable to set aside any time for writing, let alone come up with a good chapter plot. (In fact I have a bunch of work I should be doing right now. :D) I hope it was still good~?**

 **Since I cannot message any of my anonymous reviewers back, I would like to personally thank you right here! To my Guests, I'm happy you are enjoying the slow romance, and Mikaela's piano playing is always very enjoyable to write! Shinoa is best at being blunt while also making it funny~ To the anonymous reviewer Mr. Shade, I'm glad you like this fic and enjoy my writing style, (honestly I'm making it up as I go,) and yas, I shall be using Mika's home situation greatly in this story~ Your elemental eye is fantastically perceptive~!**

 **And of course, to everyone who has an account and continues to review! ^^ I guess you could say the latest episode of OnS inspired this chapter. (Fufufu.) Please don't forget to leave your thoughts on the chapter below~**


	8. Frozen Doorway

Chapter VIII: **Frozen Doorway**

* * *

"What the hell were you two _doing_ over there when I called?!" sputtered Yuu, standing before Shinoa's desk when he arrived to class Monday morning. When he'd called Shinoa Saturday night, all he'd heard was Mitsuba's voice, groggy in the background and emerging from what sounded like a pile of blankets. His mind had jumped to all sorts of conclusions, all of which grossed him out equally. Yuichiro still couldn't quite discern how he felt about the two girls' relationship, but given how they treated everyone else, it only made sense.

"Oh Yuu, little cherry boy Yuu," sang Shinoa as she lightly patted his wild muss of raven hair, his hands hands on her desk, face distraught. "We were just having a sleepover, nothing like _that_. We save that stuff for –"

Hands over his ears, Yuu barked, "Whoa Shinoa, too much information!"

"I was just kidding," said Shinoa. "Mitsu and I don't have a relationship like that." She lifted a contemplative finger to her chin. "Unless you count the time we –"

Louder still with his hands tightening over his ears, Yuu alarmed, "T.M.I., T.M.I., SHINOA! STOP RIGHT THERE!"

She giggled, leaning back in her seat.

Yuu slowly took his hands off his ears. "Jeez..."

"Anyway, about your pianist," she said, giving Yuu an implicative wink that made him uncomfortable. "Are you going to try what we discussed to see what's been bothering him~?"

"Yeah, I'll try it..."

Over the phone, Yuu had still denied having any kind of feelings for Mika other than concern for his situation and an affinity to his piano playing, but Shinoa suspected he hadn't told the entire truth. Before she could think more on it, Yoichi, Shiho, and Mitsuba entered the classroom. Shinoa ran to whisper something in Mitsuba's ear. She scowled at Yuu. "You thought we were having sex?"

"I didn't say that!" Yuu screeched.

Both of them laughed at the fearful then disgusted expression on Yuu's face, such dazzlement in their eyes. He turned away in embarrassment.

Thankfully, Yoichi saved him from Shiho's questioning with casual small talk. "Yuu, how was your weekend?"

"It was good," he said, turning his back to the girls. _Aside from my conversation with Shinoa,_ he grumbled internally, drowning out the sound of their laughter as best he could. He remembered how Mika played for him in his circular music room, all the things they'd said – that he was glad to have learned piano and he wanted to play for Yuu, that Yuu was glad too... His stomach backflipped thinking about it, but he shook himself, decided not to say anything since Shiho and the girls already had their eyes pasted to him. He elaborated, "Akane and Chihiro keep pranking Kouta and Taichi into thinking there's a sewer monster in the bathtub at night when they pee, which makes them jump on _me_ in _my_ bed at twelve in the morning Sunday night to chase it off with the plunger, but it's really just Akane and Chihiro dressed in a bunch of crinkly newspapers and covered in dark face paint behind the shower curtain."

Yoichi laughed. "I wish I could have been there! That sounds adventurous!"

"Yeah, me too," Shiho averred. "Living at the Hyakuya Orphanage would never be dull."

"Let's trade then," Yuu mumbled. He found his foster siblings nothing short of obnoxious – well, most of the time.

Watching Yuu struggle trying to decide how he felt about the other kids in the orphanage, after some hesitation Shiho stated, "You seem to be feeling better from last week, Amane."

Yuu blinked at him. "Better...?"

Yoichi nodded. "Yeah, you were kinda out of it..."

"It was because you had another one of those dreams, right?" Shiho asked. "About your past?"

Usually Yuu would have at least given them some kind of short answer to know he appreciated their concern but he wasn't interested in discussing it. For some reason, today, thinking how he'd already told Mika the details and somewhat resolved the issue, Yuu didn't want to divulge any information to them. "So how were your guys' weekends?" he asked to try to distract them.

Yoichi and Shiho took the cue and said nothing more on the matter. "Pretty boring, compared to yours," said Yoichi, smiling at him. "But I still had some birthday candy left over from November, so I was able to snack on that while I studied."

"Studied? Oh yeah, that's right. Winter Break is just a week away," said Shiho.

"Yeah..." Yuu nodded. Idly, he wondered what Mika would be doing over Winter Break as Shiho pushed his glasses farther up on his nose.

"Over the weekend I went to visit some colleges, and –"

Grinning evilly, Shinoa asked, "I'm sure all of them took one look at you and your unrealistic aspirations to become a surgeon and sent you right back to Tokyo Hiiragi High, didn't they~?"

"H-hey, that's not funny!"

"It might not be funny, but it's probably the truth," Mitsuba muttered with a hand over her mouth.

"It is not –!"

"C'mon, those goofy glasses and that pink hair would scare just about anyone away," rebutted Mitsuba.

"Why, you –!" Shiho chased them around the classroom, threatening to "clobber them good" if he ever got a hold of one of them, but both girls evading him artfully.

Standing on the sidelines with Yuichiro, Yoichi commented more to himself, "I still haven't gone out to visit any colleges myself... I probably should, shouldn't I?"

"Eh? I don't see why there's any rush," said Yuu, watching as Shiho knocked down a desk trying to reach Shinoa and Mitsuba who were giving him neener neeners – with their thumbs in their ears and fingers waggling, tongues out. A few other students just watched them with unsure gazes. Yuu crossed his arms. "I haven't checked out any colleges either, Yoichi, so don't feel too bad."

Yoichi turned and smiled at him. "Oh yeah, makes sense. Very few schools offer botany as a subject anymore, so it shouldn't be too hard for me to choose... Since you're planning on becoming a pop artist, you'll need to do more extensive research to find an art school that suits you, right?"

Yuichiro's arms fell to his sides, mouth open and eyes wide. Oh yeah, he was planning on becoming a pop artist... He hadn't thought about it in a long time, ever since he threw away his headphones, ever since he decided Mika's piano playing was something he wanted to aspire toward instead...

The teacher entered the classroom and told everyone to sit down, snapping Yuu out of his thoughts. Mika entered as Yuu went to his own desk, not giving him a chance to talk. In its uniformity, the class stood and bowed to the teacher up front, then reseated and opened their books to start on math. While the teacher rattled on about something called recursion, Yuu chewed on the end of his mechanical pencil, wondering how exactly he would implement the plan that him and Shinoa had come up with to find out what was bothering Mika so much. From there, Yuu would decide how to act, but he wasn't too sure about what Shinoa had said. Even now, he didn't want to give in to Shinoa and Mitsuba's teasing and say they were right about him being gay, but he couldn't deny that he felt more for Mika than just admiration for how he played the piano. Alike to how one can't help fall in love with the poet of their favorite song. Their accusations were only making him think there was more than there was, right? It definitely wasn't because he –

Yuichiro nearly choked on his pencil end and quickly turned toward the window at the heat that appeared across his cheeks. Praying no one could read his thoughts, he stole a glance at Shinoa. She hadn't noticed – too busy making funny faces to distract Mitsuba on the other side of the room. Behind Mitsuba was Yoichi, who saw Shinoa too, but kept writing down the equations the teacher scribbled on the whiteboard at the front of the room, also paying her little mind.

Yuu sighed in relief. He'd been remembering how soft and warm Mika's nimble piano fingers curled deftly around his own in the cold winter wind and then, out of nowhere, he'd wondered how Mika's fingers would feel curled around his arms or cupping his cheeks. Then he'd imagined those impenetrable cerulean eyes staring deeply into his, Mika's breath on his cheeks and getting closer, until –

That was where Yuu disallowed his mind to go any further.

 _Damn you, Shinoa!_ Yuu raged, banging his head once against his desk in exasperation, face buried in his arms. A few students glanced over at him and he heard Shinoa giggle, but the teacher carried on like nothing happened. In the front row, Mika showed no reaction either. Keeping the heat on his face down to a minimum, Yuu mentally slapped himself a few times, focusing on math.

This was no good. He was only making it harder for himself.

The sooner he got what Shinoa said over and done with, the better.

* * *

 **~Battaglia~**

* * *

An entire week later of waiting awkwardly after class only to find Mika was already gone, and of clipped conversations at lunch as Mika escaped to the hallway, finally, with Shinoa's help, Yuu got everyone else to leave school at the end of the day on Saturday and waited outside Mika's last class. By that time, the rest of the Shinoa Squad had come to notice Mika's absences from lunch and hurried speech to anyone who tried to approach him and didn't protest. It was now Winter Break so there were no clubs or sports after school; everyone else was hurrying home in the falling snow, but this was something Yuu couldn't let this sit over the entire break and New Year.

Still trying to catch up from when he'd missed almost an entire week at the beginning of December, Mika lingered in his classroom and bowed to his teacher at the doorway, turned and was startled to see Yuu standing against the sliding door. In an odd way, his expression reminded Yuu of when he'd been first caught eavesdropping on _Moonlight Sonata_ in the music room.

"Mika –"

He started walking, to which Yuu immediately followed. "What is it, Yuu? Do you need me to play piano for you?" There was no ill will in his voice or emotion at all. He didn't look at Yuu as they hurried down the stairs and toward the entrance of the school.

 _Be honest with him and tell him exactly how you feel,_ Shinoa had said. _Then you should find the truth yourself._ That was what Yuu had been doing thus far, but he still hesitated to tell Mika his true feelings about his piano and wanting to be his friend. It was hard, though it worked, and he would follow Shinoa's advice. She agreed to help him through whatever happened once he got an answer after that. "No, I've... been worried about you," Yuu admitted. It was the first thing that came to mind. He saw that bullshitting his way through this wasn't going to work. Mika wasn't that stupid.

Mika chuckled, still not looking at him. "Worried? Over what?"

"You haven't been acting the same," said Yuu, trying to catch his gaze out of the corner of one eye. Mika was thoroughly avoiding him, reading the flyers tacked to the board in the front of school and looking at the staff going through papers in the office. "You haven't been sitting with us at lunch and you don't say much when we try to talk to you."

Mika still said nothing as he buttoned up his navy jacket, pulled it closer to his chin, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and pushed open the front door of the school.

"You haven't been talking to me much either," said Yuu, his gut twisting in a way that he wasn't familiar with. As they walked through the entrance doorway, their cheeks and hands were buffeted by cold gusts of winter wind. "Is everything okay?"

"Of course everything's fine," Mika said cheerfully. He turned his head and gave Yuu a grin, then turned back to the sidewalk.

The unfamiliar knot convulsing in Yuu's gut twisted even more. The next time they turned a corner, Yuu reached out and took Mika by the shoulders, pulled him out of the crowd to a section of the sidewalk where they wouldn't be brought along by the flow of people. Now face-to-face, Mika still avoided Yuu's eyes, which were bright with his determination to find out what was wrong and concern for what Mika was hiding. "Mika, what is it?" He spoke low.

Mika's shoulders quivered slightly under Yuu's grasp, but he still didn't look up. He seemed to be struggling to hold something in. After a few moments, he looked at Yuu, though there was something in his eyes that Yuu had never seen before, strained and closed off. He couldn't place it. "It's nothing. My parents are coming back tonight and I'm not looking forward to it, especially with me missing school, which was unwarranted by them."

Trying to figure out how to place that look, Mika stepped back; Yuu's hands slid off of his shoulders and back to his sides. "Oh, well..." Yuu pulled his book bag over one shoulder, his shoulders tensing at the gust of wind that blew around the side of the building they were standing. "If you need an escape from them, the orphanage is always welcome. Remember that, okay?"

Mika nodded, turning the opposite way. "I will. See you."

After departing so abruptly, Yuu couldn't understand the look Mika had given him. He was almost home until he realized it reminded him of how he acted when someone asked about the nightmares about his past. He never wanted to talk about it to Shiho and Yoichi, but he'd felt better when he'd told Mika, when he was honest... _There's still something he's hiding,_ thought Yuu. Though he had no idea if had to do with Mika's parents or... something else.

Yuu's mind still came to their conversation in the bathroom. Mika's reaction there didn't make sense to him either. He'd expected Mika to laugh it off with him and that would be it. Why had he suddenly gone quiet and then hurried out of the bathroom? _Things haven't been quite the same since,_ Yuu realized. Maybe that _was_ it, but something about the vacancy in his expression that afternoon told him it wasn't just that...

Yuu was on the steps of the orphanage, staring at the silver plaque above the front entrance that read "Hyakuya Orphanage" in blocky bronze Kanji. The cold wind blew his raven bangs around his ears.

Shinoa had said the truth would probably take more than one session of questioning to get out, but... Mika had the entire Winter Break to recover from it and forget, an entire Winter Break to blister under the watch of his family and grow even more distant from Yuu and the rest of the Shinoa Squad...

A new beat started up in Yuu's head, blurring together intricate sounds produced by Mika's piano. All the emotion that had passed through him from the songs played all at once – the loneliness, the sorrow; the feeling of a boundless freedom, of constricting feelings, of the light and the darkness battling in an all-out war, fighting to see which would win out in the end... It was the only time Yuu felt he understood Mika and what was going on in his mind, when he touched something so beautiful that it made him want to shy away, yet drew him in like nothing else. It was a light that burned the black wings of wax off his shoulders and let him soar to places he could never achieve on his own through Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd, not with 30 Seconds to Mars or Red... None of those distractions helped. Not even the light from the music he created himself would illuminate the darkness that followed him everyday. He knew that now. His want to be a pop artist was only a sad replacement of Mikaela's piano.

Yuu had to get to the bottom of this. Now. Before Mika became so unreachable that it would be impossible to get anything out of him. With the next gust of icy wind, slinging his bag over his shoulder, Yuu turned on his heel, and headed straight for the Shindo Manor.

* * *

 **~Quasi~**

* * *

Even as a child when his parents yelled at him Mikaela never cried. When Ferid and Krul did everything they could to set him off, he kept a steady expression through it all, crying only where they couldn't see, until he had become so numbed to it all that it no longer bothered him.

His friends that had passed in and then out of his life through the years had hardly gotten reactions either. He could always sense when they became uncomfortable, knowing he was heir to one of the most influential companies in the Eastern world. They were snakes that used him for his profit or couldn't stand being friends with someone of his status, believing he used them purely for marketing strategy.

No, none of them were worth his sorrow or his tears.

But now, water spilled from Mikaela's eyes as he sat in his study all alone. His hands clamped down on his face as shivers and sobs wracked his body, his homework crumpling beneath him.

 _"You give everyone the same pleasantness and the same smile, but you're always hiding something... from everyone. Something that... you've only shown to me a couple times. It was when you played piano. I don't know if this has to do with your parents, or if it's something more than that, but I... I want to help you, Mika, if I can. I don't know what you mean, going on about with being a Shindo, but I do know one thing... I... I've never cared about anything so deeply as your music, and that's the truth."_

 _"I didn't like playing piano. Not one bit. But then... it's something that's always been with me... And... I guess it's what drew you to me?"_

 _"Of course!"_

 _"Then all those painful lessons were worth it after all..."_

How could Yuu see through him so easily, say those things with such sincerity, make him feel wanted, _needed_ in a way his parents, the personnel at his mansion, nor anyone else could never match?

 _"It's stupid, isn't it? Just because I wanted to be friends with you 'cause I liked the way you play piano..."_

But that's all it was, wasn't it...? A piano fetish? His love for music only? That afternoon, walking home in the cold weather, with Yuu's hands on his shoulders, the concern on his face... had almost made Mikaela think otherwise.

Again.

 _If only,_ Mika thought. He grinned wily in spite of himself. He'd almost bursted out into tears right then in front of Yuu, like he had foolishly in the hallway hearing Yuu didn't care that he was a Shindo. It was too much. Too much for him to bear.

Mika tried to stop the flow of his tears onto his homework, making it inky and unreadable, when the sound of high-heeled shoes echoed in the foyer and Mika snapped back to reality immediately. He hastily rid his cheeks of tears, stood up as Krul appeared in the doorway in her swirling uniform, pink claw on the frame. "Your parents are here."

She turned toward the front door and Mika straightened himself out as best he could, checked his reflection of the glass doors to the study to make sure his face showed no signs of the tears he'd shed.

Krul, Ferid, and a few other servants joined him, awaiting the arrival of their masters, Mika awaiting certain punishment for missing school. As the door opened, Mika endeavored to set his expression to be stony as he normally would, but for some reason he couldn't do it.

"Mika?" Krul called after him as he turned and ran for the back door, pulling a jacket off the rack. She called him again when the door slammed shut but he didn't look back. His parents were occupying the servants, still in a daze over what happened as he rushed down the road, off of his huge property, toward Inner Tokyo.

Without even realizing, more tears slipped down his face as he rushed down the road, hands shoved under his armpits. Where was he going? What did he think he was doing? When he got back to the mansion, he would only have even bigger of a storm waiting for him. He should go back right then – he'd endured worse punishment than what was to come, he was sure. He didn't know what kind of mood his parents would be in; they could either hand him off to the servants or carry out the punishment themselves. Either way, he could handle Krul and Ferid. He could handle his parents' coldness.

Or so he thought. Now, the very thought of going back there and pretending everything was fine, bearing through the pain, made him cringe. He ignored the looks he got for the tears forming icicles on his face. Until someone called his name.

"Mika...?"

Mikaela hurried down the road faster away from the voice, trying to keep his head down.

"Mika!" Yuu couldn't believe his luck, running into Mika on the street. He was quite surprised, and Mika was already half a block in front of him, going in the direction of the orphanage, but Mika wasn't moving fast and barely paid attention to his surroundings, so Yuu was easily able to catch up to him. "Hey Mika, I was just going –" Yuu put a hand on his shoulder to turn him around, and was even more surprised to find Mika's face covered in icy tears. It froze his lips mid-sentence.

Mika quickly pulled away and feverishly wiped the tears from his eyes, but stopped, feeling warm hands on his shoulders, an intense heat near his face. Mika gasped, looking Yuu in the face, this time not averting his eyes. Yuu took in Mika's tear-stained cheeks and tear-filled blue eyes and saw exactly what he'd feared: that the desperate and lonely tones from Mika's music were real, that Mika's sorrow was exactly what he felt every time he played piano. Though it was also exactly what he'd hoped for. That meant the longing for freedom and the warm compassion and feeling of a place he felt at home were real too. Yuu could hardly breathe, knowing the depth of the sadness in the color of Mika's eyes were just like his own, exactly what he'd heard and felt when he played piano.

Tears continued to roll down Mika's cheeks and fall from his chin, but he saw the understanding in Yuu's citrine eyes, which shifted lower until they were closed and Yuu's warm hands found Mika's cheeks, frozen with his tears. Mika held Yuu's blushed cheeks with his cold fingers and they tilted forward, foreheads touching, hearts beating as one, in sync like the rhythm of their breaths in the cold winter wind.

Once Mika's sobs had quieted down, they leaned apart, and Yuu took Mika's hand in his own.

"I'm sorry for leaving you alone, Mika," Yuu whispered, breathless as they walked.

Mikaela gave him a sideways smile, one that Yuu knew was real by the backward curve of his eyebrows and slight squint of his eyes. "It's okay, Yuu."

Before he could think too much about it, Yuu also blurted, "And I'm sorry for what I said in the bathroom."

Mika's eyes got so big that his legs almost seized right there. He was afraid if he stopped moving, whatever Yuu just said wouldn't be real. "In the bathroom...?" he asked, not daring to believe it was what he thought.

"Yeah, about..." Yuu gulped, a color spreading from his cheeks and all the way to his ears. He cursed Shinoa again for telling him to be honest, but he'd already gotten this far. Instead of feeling stiff, something in him had been released. "About us being... together. I-if that's what's bothering you," he added hastily, shrugging.

Mika wasn't sure how to react. They only continued to walk down the street, the sky getting darker and darker. Finally, they came to the Hyakuya Orphanage, but Mika stopped Yuu from opening the door by grabbing his other hand. "Yuu, is it true?" he asked.

He didn't even need to clarify for Yuu to know what he was referring to: what Shinoa and Mitsuba kept teasing him about. "I..." The beat in his head and grown too loud for him to focus, and suddenly he couldn't find the right words. "I don't know," he said, fighting off the music long enough to speak. "But I... I want you to stay with me." He saw the confusion in Mika's face and kept talking, an idea he usually would have found to be very bad if not for Shinoa egging him on. He did want to eradicate the strange fantasies he'd been having about kissing Mika and how he was excited by them. His fingers squeezed Mika's. "Please, you don't have to go back to your parents. Stay here with us at the Hyakuya Orphanage... with me."

Mika's eyes widened again at the offer, the yellow streetlights only barely showing the pinkness on his cheeks in the darkness before he looked away, yanking his hands from Yuu's grasp. "No, I... I've already stayed away long enough. I have to go back."

Mika was turning away toward the stairs leading up to the orphanage, when a tune flashed through Yuichiro's mind:

 _"I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known; don't know where it goes, but it's home to me and I walk alone."_

It was a song Yuu had listened to day in and day out, walking home from school, walking back from his parents' burnt apartment, wandering the streets alone when they were fighting, in bed as he tightened his hands over his ears to the blaring music and not the sound of fighting in the next room. Mika took the first step down the stairs and the song only continued, louder and louder in Yuu's ears.

 _"I walk this empty street on the Boulevard of broken dreams, where the city sleeps, and I'm the only one and I walk alone."_

When Mika reached the bottom of the stairs, Yuu couldn't bear it anymore. He leapt down the stairs and jumped on Mika from behind, wrapping his arms around him.

"Yuu?!"

"You can't go back! I won't let you!"

Mika tried to turn around to face him but couldn't; Yuu's grip was too tight. "Yuu –"

"I'll protect you from your parents! I can't let you go back to them! We'll hide you here all Winter Break and make sure your parents never find out!"

Mika scoffed. "Yuu, you can't honestly believe that will work."

Yuu loosened his grip enough to spin Mika around to look into his eyes, gripping his arms. "I do. It _has_ to work."

Mika wanted to. _Badly_ he wanted to. But he knew he couldn't stay away from his parents forever. He had to go back. "Yuu –"

Leading Mika up the stairs to the orphanage, Yuu said, "Don't answer! At the very least, you have to stay for dinner."

"What?!" Mika squawked.

"You refused all my offers before, so it's only polite," Yuu reasoned, pushing him along.

Mika was going to tell Yuu no, that he had to get back, but his chest warmed considerably at Yuu's pushiness, at how assured of himself he seemed. Before the front door, Mika pulled away from Yuu's arms to look at him, taking his wrists. "Wait, Yuu –"

"I'm not gonna hear it, Mika. You're not leaving here without something to eat and that's –"

"I'll stay for dinner," he interrupted.

"Really?!"

Mikaela scoffed at how brightly Yuu's green eyes shined from his simple answer – and at the blush that spread across his pale cheeks because of it. He murmured, "I... don't think they'll be needing me until tomorrow back home anyway, so –"

Yuu grinned widely, reaching for the door. Mika was there for him when he'd needed an escape from his nightmares. Now it was Yuu's turn to pay him back. "Then you'll stay the night too!"

"Wh-whaaat?!" Mika sputtered, almost halting in place.

Yuu pushed him forward in full confidence. "You'll love the Director's cooking, Mika, I promise!"

Warm air hit their faces and a chorus of greetings came from inside when Yuu opened the door. As Mika pulled off his boots and jacket, the others gasped to see him, who smiled when they welcomed him. Yuu led him toward the kitchen smelling of good food. Mika allowed the warmth in the house and in his cheeks to swallow him right up.

At least for now, he'd left the frozen world of closed doors behind him.

* * *

 **Goodness it took me so long to answer all my messages once again! *o* Thank you so much for the feedback!**

 **Ah ha, the sleepover chapter... Where's this gonna go~? Yuu sure is stubborn about his feelings, isn't he? I hope I'm not moving the story along too fast! Writing Mikaela can be hard sometimes. I'm quite unsure about how to portray how he feels about Yuu a lot of the time; as a kid he was more timid and cheerful, but as a vampire he's just kind of reserved? I'm kind of doing something in between but is it out of character, even for this Mika? I'm pretty wary about it.**

 **The next chapter may not come out until 2016. Until then, happy holidays, have a great New Year, and please leave thoughts on the chapter below~**


	9. White Shadow

Chapter IX: **White Shadow**

* * *

The moment Yuu and Mika kicked off their shoes and stepped into the toasty orphanage, white socks sliding against the deep rosewood floor, Yuu called to the kitchen with a hand cupped around his mouth. "I'm home!"

"Welcome back!" a voice called back – Akane.

As Mika brushed himself off and went to stand beside him, Yuu added, "Oh, and I bought someone with me." Mikaela barely lifted his head when he was overwhelmed by a mob of kids.

"Hey, you're Yuu's new friend, aren't you?!"

"Wow, your hair really _is_ blond!"

"You guys sure hang out a lot!"

"How come you've been stealing big brother Yuu's attention away from us so much lately?!"

After Yuu and Mika's serious conversation coming back, Mika was surprised by the nonstop firing of questions, head flipping between all the kids commanding his attention. Mika held up his arms. "H-hold on, one at a time –!"

Yuu chuckled at the panicked expression on Mika's face as he tried to focus on one face long enough to answer, only to be distracted by another, and the questions were taking longer and longer to answer. "Yuu!" Mika cried, face flushing pink with mock irritation, fists clenched at his sides.

"What? I've never seen the flirty, cool-headed Mika get so scared! Not even when you're presenting to the class!" Yuu laughed, pointing at him with one hand.

The orphans laughed with Yuu which only caused the blush on Mika's cheeks to darken.

"Oh so you're the Mika that little Yuu's been telling us about."

Mika's blush vanished as he looked over to see Akane standing in the doorframe of the kitchen. Yuu muttered something about being called "little Yuu" while the others stood aside to let Akane through. She gave Mika a surreptitious once over, – yet very noticeable to Mika's eyes, – then bowed with both hands folded in front of her. "My name's Akane. Nice to meet you."

Mika bowed in return. "Nice to meet you too."

She tilted her head at him, smiling. "I just wanted to thank you for taking care of our hotheaded, fragile Yuu here –"

Yuu babbled, "U-uh, Akane –"

"– since he really is an idiot a lot of the time and sometimes gets lost on the streets coming home it's nice he has someone to keep him on the right track –"

"AKANE!" Yuu grabbed Mika by the shoulders and ushered him toward the kitchen. "Jeez, why is everyone around here always acting like I'm some idiot troublemaker?! I'm not _that_ stupid!"

Mika giggled as Yuu growled back at the younger kids, only stopping once they were in the kitchen. The Director turned from the pot she was stirring to display her wrinkly and pleasant round features. "Ah, welcome back, Yuichiro. And Mikaela, it's nice to see you again."

"Th-thank you," said Mika hurriedly, bowing to her as he had done Akane.

She held up a hand, smiling softly to him. "It's all right; no need to be so formal. It seems you're staying for dinner?"

"Y-yeah," answered Mika, nodding.

"He's staying the night too!" Yuichiro grabbed Mika's shoulders as he grinned at her, and Mika had to bow his head again to hide the pinkness that lit his cheeks.

The Director chuckled and half-turned back to stir her pot of boiling food. "Well, dinner shouldn't be ready for another hour or so. Can you entertain yourselves until then?"

"Of course we can!" That was Kouta, the second oldest boy in the orphanage. He took hold of Mika's wrist and dragged him out of the kitchen through the living room and back into the entryway toward the stairs with the other children parading behind him, Akane and Yuichiro following last.

Mika looked back at them with uncertainty but judging by the relaxed grin on Yuu's face and the way his eyes shined, he seemed to find it all very amusing so Mika let himself be pulled along. He was surrounded by new faces and somewhere he'd only been a few times before, but the house was warm and the atmosphere pleasant.

And as long as Yuu was there with him, it couldn't be too bad.

* * *

 **~En dehors~**

* * *

An hour later at the dinner table, everyone except Mikaela and Chihiro sipped their soup in slow, agonizing slurps. Stings and bruises covered their entire bodies. The Director saw this, sitting at the head of the table, and asked what they all could have possibly been doing upstairs while she was cooking dinner.

Well, Kouta had led Mika and everyone else to the game room-slash-toy room, and once there the orphans had all started coming to Mika with a different assortment of toys in their arms, – action figures, board games, Lego sets, stuffed animals, and more, – all suggesting what to do. Not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings, Mika didn't decide, and Yuu was no help, too busy quarreling with Akane over being called "little Yuu" earlier. Finally, all at a loss, Kouta and Ako were struggling over a wooden sword while Yuu was in the middle of his list of arguments for why the "little Yuu" didn't suit him – _"And I mean since I'm the oldest boy in the household, that makes me the man of the house and the most manly out of anyone here!"_ They ended up hitting Yuu dead center in the nose who charged after them screaming bloody murder with the wooden sword in hand. Akane tried to stop Yuu's pursuit but it was Chihiro – the second oldest girl with black hair cut in a bob and silver-rimmed glasses – who, taking up another weapon, was able to trip Yuu and knock the sword out of his hand before he could clobber Kouta or Ako with it.

Mikaela, surprised at Chihiro's skill and having taken fencing years ago, challenged her to a duel to which everyone else responded by whining about not being included. Thus began the fencing tournament sponsored by Akane that had ended in total victory for Mika and a humble withdrawal from Chihiro, being that their showdown would have been when the Director called for them to come to dinner. Chihiro hadn't been downed once, but Mika's prowess had been demonstrated to her more than enough times on the others for her to realize his ability was far greater than hers.

Yuu, being a sour loser, – and having landed on his butt thanks to Mika thrice in a row, – was the one to answer the Director. "It's nothing. This cocky idiot popped out of nowhere and smacked everyone around acting like a high horse, that's all."

Mika smiled sweetly beside him at the Director but Yuu just turned away in agitation, mumbling about the unfairness of fencing rules. To Chihiro across from him, Mika said, "I thought you did quite well considering you haven't taken any lessons. You said you've only taught yourself?"

She nodded to him. "Yeah! I've always thought that it would be cool to be able to fight like gentlemen used to in Great Britain, so I've been looking up the poses online and practicing myself."

"That's quite astute of you!"

"And here we go with the pointless manners again," muttered Yuu. Kouta, Ako, Fumie, and Taichi, also still stinging from their scars, nodded in agreement.

After dinner the Director asked Chihiro and Kouta to help her clean up the kitchen – since Yuu had a friend over and Akane helped her prepare the meal. So the others snuck off to the seldom-used section of the house except for storage.

"What're we gonna do _now_?" asked Ako as they wandered through the living room and dining room, heading back toward the stairs. "I wanted to finish the fencing tournament!"

"Yeah, Chihiro and Mikaela need to fight so we can see who the real winner is! It's no fair!" Fumie chimed in.

In the brightly-lit dining room, it came to Yuu's mind that they were close to the library. Mika caught the flash in those emerald eyes when Yuu glanced at him, and caught on to what he was thinking too. Mika walked around to the other side of the shiny dining table and through the doorway into the dusty, dank library without saying a word, turned on the light.

"Where's Mikaela going?" asked Taichi, everyone hesitant to follow except Yuu, right behind Mika, his heart thumping faster and faster in his chest. The piano was still uncovered from the last time Yuu had pulled off its protective sheet for Mika to play. He sat down at the bench and opened the cover.

"The piano?" someone questioned behind Yuu, but he didn't even bother to wonder who'd said it with such confusion in their voice, underlined with disdain.

They only had to wait.

Wait and see for themselves.

With everyone crowded behind Mikaela, – some disinterestedly, some perplexed, some, like Yuu, merely waiting to be impressed, – Mika sat there for a moment as he had done in the circular music room of the Shindo Manor. Not for quite as long, since the children would soon get bored and his silent spell would be broken, Mika unable to regather his concentration as it once was, but long enough to bring together everything he needed. He laid his hands on the yellowed keys.

It was simple, soft, humble and elegant, so pleasing to the ear. Yuu felt he was floating on clouds, and without looking over he knew the others felt it too. Their minds had all been lifted from their bodies and they were now floating on air, between the clouds in the sky – even the kids who had been disinterested seconds before were swept away. Mika pushed higher on the keyboard, tenderly, posing new queries for them all to wonder about as he shifted lower, the brisk winds among the clouds guiding all of them through the sky on their flightless, free advance guided by Mika's fingers on the keyboard, pushing them higher into the sky, above even the cover of the clouds. The ground was nowhere in sight.

The wind all around them became colder and darker then, the cheery blue hue of the day fading into a deep violet and then dark blue midnight, all of them now only illuminated by the white light of the full moon in front of them, no less beautiful, yet all the more imposing as it rose out of their view.

Morning was coming again, and their sky became a light purple, then red, then orange, then bright yellow. Blinding, white sunlight hit them all in the face, the music growing louder, the wind growing more intense, more caressing, then pausing... as the glowing orb appeared in the sky. With a swift progression Mika sent them gliding back toward the ground, treating them with care, landing on their feet on a cliff above the sea, and overlooking the sun that they had seen rise from the horizon, in the sky.

Like always Yuu gave himself time to let the effect of the song inlay in his bones before he broke the mood, but Taichi just had to immediately say, "Whoaaa, I didn't know you could play piano, Mika."

Yuu wondered if Taichi had even taken the celestial journey through the clouds with the rest of them, how obviously unaffected he was by the tone of his voice. Mika wasn't angry however, only laughed good-naturedly.

Chihiro and Kouta entered the dusty library to join them. "That was great, Mika!" Chihiro exclaimed. "What song was that?"

" _Prelude In C Major_ by Johann Bach."

"It was wonderful!" agreed Ako. "Could you play another one?!"

"Yeah, something fast!" Fumie added.

"Sure." Mika smiled and nodded to them before turning back around to the piano. Yuu was going to tell them to stop pestering Mika to play things but he was shut up by the rapid pang of notes that rolled out at him as Mika's hands danced across the piano, so close and on top of each other, yet never touching. His fingers danced higher and higher, then went down; higher and higher, then went down, until his pitch softened and the notes went higher and lower back and forth in a fast exchange of thoughtful, yet increasingly tenuous tones. They battled back and forth for preparation into the next phrase: once again up, up, and down, up, up, and down, in a different key and bolder than before, charging into the next as they banged the gong of war, commanders crying out orders.

A desperate chord against a minor tenuto, and then the commanders cried out again, the desperate chord a little louder this time; again Mika rushed to the bottom of the keyboard. Up, up, and down. Up, up, and down, the waging battle growing all the more intense but the general of the army halting to the destruction of all his soldiers below him, the sight of thousands more enemy battalions coming his way. So he ran, with the music, soft desperate chords again to the varying tenutos, the enemies shooting yet missing and he urged his horse to a gallop but then his horse was slain, so he ran on foot through the woods, nothing but his sword to defend him. He ran up and up, but then all the way down, away from the battle, enemies on his tail, shooting arrows at his back and ankles, until he disappeared into the exile of a defeated general of war.

It ended quickly and abruptly, befitting of the tone of the entire song, yet it felt so much longer than that to Yuu. The orphans clapped their hands in glee as Mika turned around, smiling at them. They requested more songs to which he obliged before Yuu could say anything, and they were all songs Yuu had heard before: first _Love Dream_ , then _One Summer's Day_ , and after that _First Arabesque_.

Yuu was silent through all of it while the others were just requesting away, requesting faster songs, sadder songs, more popular songs, until finally they got disinterested and left Yuu with only Mika and Akane, look for something more to occupy themselves with – like more sword fights upstairs. Mika stood from the piano and as he closed its cover he told Akane the second piece he played for the others was _Solfeggietto_ also by Johann Bach when she asked, but Yuu stayed behind them, only watching. When Mika's eyes found Yuu's, Yuu was shocked back to reality, aware of the cocked eyebrow Akane sent him from the expression Yuu wore – like that of a person awakening after a long, puzzling dream. Mika walked over to him with a smile in his blue eyes and stuck his tongue out playfully at Yuu but Yuu was still stock frozen. "I need to use the bathroom," Mika said as he walked out. Yuu only croaked an "okay," and then he scratched his head, looked at the floor.

Akane was still there, and only then did Yuu realize how she was looking at him. He tried to set his mouth to its normal unimpressed tweak to one side, glaze his eyes and slouch his back, set his shoulders back, but Akane could see Yuu struggled to do so. She had never seen Yuu look so relaxed, impressed, or humbled by anything – not even when an empty stillness had consumed him after a bad night.

"What?" Yuu demanded as casually as possible.

She was unsure what to say so instead shook herself out of it too, lightly slapping Yuu on the cheek as she passed him. "I think that's the longest you've gone without complaining about something, Yuu."

"Shut up," he said, shoving her hand away, but even he knew she wasn't being fooled by his attempt to act unimpressed by Mika playing piano. Unlike Shinoa and Mitsuba, Akane wouldn't make a huge deal out of it and try to press a matter of whom Yuu had affections for. His business was his, and frankly she had other things to worry about than the sexuality of her foster brother.

Yuu knew this and appreciated her for it, but he still would rather keep his interest for Mika a secret from her (and from everyone else for that matter).

Including himself.

* * *

 **~Rallentando~**

* * *

Mika popped his head into the bathroom connected to Yuu's room as Yuu applied toothpaste to his toothbrush. "Yuu, I need some pajamas."

"Choose whatever you want out of my drawers, I don't care," said Yuichiro, holding his toothbrush up to his face.

Mika wrinkled his nose at him. "I have to pick something out of your tacky, grimy wardrobe?"

"Hey, if you're gonna be picky you can wear one of Akane's nightgowns," Yuu said, nose in the air as he stuck his toothbrush in his mouth.

Mika huffed as if he wanted to retort but couldn't come up with anything, then disappeared around the corner. When he reappeared, Yuu was in the middle of brushing, doing his best to keep toothpaste foam from rolling down his chin. Mika complained, "Yuu, I can't change 'cause everyone else is taking turns brushing their teeth in the other bathroom."

"Get dressed in my room then," Yuu muttered. He didn't look at Mika as he said it.

Again Mika disappeared and Yuu spit the toothpaste from his mouth, chugged down a glass of water. Mika came back and said, "Yuu, I need a toothbrush."

Already flustered trying not to think about Mika getting naked, Yuu opened his drawer and chucked an unopened toothbrush at Mika which he caught. "Anything else?!"

Mika thought for a moment. "And a place to sleep?"

Yuu clutched his head and slammed his toothbrush into the cup beside the sink. "I'll get some blankets and pillows for you so you can sleep on the floor, all right?!"

Again Mika scrunched up his nose. "I have to sleep on your gross carpet among all your dirty clothes?"

"It is not that dirty," Yuu denied, coming out of the bathroom. He found that Mika had chosen a tie-dye shirt with the Beatles's " _Yellow Submarine_ " logo on it along with grey-brown shorts. Yuu's own nighttime attire consisted of a black Shrillex T-shirt with a white alien face printed on the front, three lines running down its forehead, and black capris. "Out of all the things you could have chosen," Yuu grumbled. The bright, psychedelic colors were giving him a headache at this time of night.

Mika looked down at the shirt and shrugged. "What? All the others I saw had reaaaally detailed close-ups of singers' faces in weird neon and red exposures. It was the least creepy shirt I could find." His eyes lingered for a moment on the " _Yellow Submarine_ " in bubble letters on the shirt before looking back up questioningly at Yuu. "Who are The Beatles anyway?"

Yuu's jaw dropped. " _You don't know?!_ " he cried without restraint for the hour of night it was.

"That _is_ why I asked," said Mika.

"They're only the band that created rock'n'roll!" Yuu shouted, arms in the air. "No video games and now this?! Have you been living under a rock all this time, Mika?! Seriously?!"

Mika almost wanted to remind Yuu that yes, his amount of time to enjoy himself had been skimped on being that his life had been controlled entirely by his parents and the servants of his household ever since the moment he was born. He didn't want to think of them while he was playing hooky at the Hyakuya Orphanage though, so instead crossed his arms at Yuu. "I'm sorry that I only listen to the elites like Mozart and Beethoven. Someone really ought to do something about your obsession with rock bands from the sixties. I mean, just look at your room." He gestured to the posters of bare chested, long-haired band members, disturbing album cover artwork, and cases of rare vinyls all over the walls.

"Someone really ought to do something about _your_ obsession with classical music from the _seventeen-hundreds_!" Yuu shot back. What Mikaela played on the piano was completely different to the rock, hiphop, and screamo he usually listened to, but that was the one exception. Yuu had looked up the same songs Mika played on YouTube and even listened to vinyls and tape records of classical music; none of them held the same kind of spark as when Mika was playing them right in front of him – even when it was on the ancient, corroding piano in the orphanage's library that was probably older than the Director and hadn't been tuned since the 1990s.

"What were you saying about getting me blankets to sleep on?" Mika asked.

Yuu glared a little as he passed Mika – angry that he was the only exception and that there was nothing Yuu could do about it. In the hallway, he took an immediate left to the linens closet. "Not all modern music is bad, you know, Mika," he jibed as he started piling blankets and pillows on Mika's arms without stopping.

"Well, it sure as heck isn't all good either. Almost all of the biggest hits have the same four chords throughout the entire song, and as I've told you before, the artists usually only sing about sex or some bad breakup they had and it makes me want to puke the few times I _do_ listen to the radio. In classical music there's variety and emotions that say so much even without singing – that's quite enough, Yuu!"

When Yuu looked behind him, he chortled at the monster of fabric he'd created with Mika underneath it. "Here, I'll help you set it up."

Though Yuu couldn't see it, Mika rolled his eyes.

Makeshift bed made and spread across the floor, while Mikaela brushed his teeth, Yuu recalled why he was here.

Mika had been crying and had run away from home.

Yuu couldn't imagine what had transpired over there to possess Mika to stay the night at the orphanage. Did Mika's parents even know where he was? Something told Yuu that if they did, they would have come to pick Mika up by now.

When Mika came out of the bathroom and was about to climb into the makeshift bed on the floor, Yuu shook his head. "I'll sleep on the floor." Mika was shocked by this to which Yuu replied, "You're the guest so it's only fair."

As Yuu got situated on the bed on the floor, Mika smirked down at him. "Wow Yuu, are you this much of a gentleman when Saotome and Kimizuki sleep over~?"

Yuu realized that neither of them had ever slept over except on accident, and definitely not in his room. He didn't want Mika to know that. "Fine, if you'd rather sleep on the floor –"

Mika put a hand on Yuu's shoulder as he was about to stand up and instead crouched beside him. "Thanks, Yuu, I was only joking. I'll take the bed."

Yuichiro was caught surprised by the depth of the intention behind Mika's gaze and his words. Mika climbed onto the bed and under Yuu's covers, and Yuu turned off the light and went into his bed and stared at the ceiling as the silence of nighttime's darkness swallowed them up. It sounded as if the others had all gone to sleep a while ago and there was only the occasional gust of icy wind on the outside. Tree branches clicked against the window. A car sped down the road outside the Hyakuya Orphanage.

An hour and a half of silence later Yuu still couldn't sleep, though he tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable. Finally he opened his eyes to see snow falling quietly on the windowsill, collecting there. Absently, he wondered if Mika was awake too and wanted to try asking, but if he was almost asleep or in the first stages, Yuu didn't want to bother him.

When he heard a soft snore not too much later from within the covers of his bed, the corners of Yuu's lips turned up. He _was_ asleep.

It was no doubt past midnight now and Yuu's mind was very active. He couldn't help remember yesterday afternoon when he'd found Mika crying as he rushed down the sidewalk. It was hard to believe that was the same person sleeping in Yuu's bed now, the same person he'd accidentally caught playing _Moonlight Sonata_ in the music room way back in the fall and fought with in the school courtyard, discarded his headphones for...

 _If this was one of Shinoa's weird fantasies,_ Yuu thought humorously, _I'd probably climb into bed with Mika and we'd start doing stuff._ Yuu didn't allow himself to start wondering what the "stuff" might entail. Of course he knew very well.

Yuu scooted down farther under the covers; the heater was currently off and there was a vent sending cold air right onto his face. He gave a large sigh.

Active his mind may've been, Yuichiro was tired and he couldn't understand what he felt for Mika. He'd told Mika "I don't know" when Mika had asked if what Shinoa and Mitsuba teased him about was true. And that was the truth. Yuu didn't really know. He liked Mika as a person and he loved spending time with him more than anyone else, but romance? It couldn't be true. All jokes aside, Yuu had never thought he was _gay_. Not only was the idea mocked and barfed on by common society but it just wasn't how he pictured himself. He'd admired a few girls from afar when he was younger and still living with his parents, but it never meant more than some awkward staring and he'd forgotten completely about them just a few days later – he'd always much preferred hanging out with his other guy friends and playing video games as opposed to being around girls, but that didn't make him gay, did it? Yuu never expected his high school years to be filled with the question of if he liked another guy of all things.

 _It's Shinoa's fault for putting the idea in my head!_ Yuu fumed. He kicked his legs in frustration, then was quickly reminded that it was cold as _hell_ in the rest of the house and stopped, once again shivering and motionless.

When his temperature had risen back to comfort, he started to wonder... If Shinoa hadn't said it, would someone else have? _Akane suspects something now too..._

Akane, Shinoa, Mitsuba, no doubt Yoichi and Shiho had noticed something was strange. Mika had heard now too...

What did _he_ think? Did _Mika_ like him that way?! That was the real question... Yuu hadn't asked directly. Mika's reaction in the bathroom suggested yes, but his actions shortly after, avoiding Yuu as much as possible, suggested no. He was in no position to ask, and either way Yuu was afraid of what the answer might be.

...Either way...?

From all the times he'd actually listened to it on his iPhone as he drifted off, Yuu had a playlist of songs embedded in his brain for sleeping. Pushing the questions from his mind, eventually, he was able to relax on that.

Only once the songs had faded into yesterday's additions of his most prized collection of music did he fall asleep.

 _Prelude In C Major_ 's sky journey and _Solfeggietto_ 's civil war battle spun white spools of shadowed thoughts in his mind.

* * *

 **~Jete~**

* * *

The room was cold and Mika knew this as he came into consciousness. Somehow he wasn't awake but he wasn't fully asleep, and it took him a moment to realize why the air around the bed he was in didn't have the same arid, polished aroma as the halls of the Shindo Manor.

The blankets were warm and smelled like Yuu. It felt as if Mika was being hugged by him from all directions. He sighed happily amongst them.

A thin blue film of light came from the window behind Mika, who was facing the wall. It wasn't too bright, meaning the sun hadn't come up yet. It was probably only 4 in the morning. And a Saturday on the first day of Winter Break. That only made Mika sag even more beneath Yuu's bedsheets.

Faintly, he heard the toilet flush and the bathroom door open. Sloppy steps dragged across the room. _That must be Yuu,_ Mika thought, about to succumb to drowsiness again when there was a sudden breeze on his back, a weight on the other side of the bed. Then it was warmer than it had been before.

Yuu was laying on his back and within seconds was snoring loudly right beside Mikaela on his bed.

 _He must have forgotten I was here,_ figured Mika, barely thinking of it. A few minutes later he was already close to falling into sleep again. Until Yuu turned on his side so he was facing Mika's back and an arm slung unexpectedly around Mika's torso. Mika's eyes shot open and he almost "eeped!" out of surprise but it was much too early for that. He was tired and it was obvious that Yuu was tired so he let it be, re-closing his drooping eyes.

Yuu's breath became harsher as he fell deeper into sleep, reaching Mika's neck and going all down his back. His heart started to race. It got worse when Yuu turned farther and pulled Mika so close that his butt was touching his stomach, his legs tangling over Mika's.

Mika had been just fine under Yuu's blankets.

This was pure heaven.

Did Yuu even know what he was doing? Mika didn't allow himself to get saddened by the thought and only remained where he was, relishing the moment. Yuu's every breath stirred some of the blond strands across Mika's face. It made his heart stutter and patter just a little more out of control, but he was so comfortable and warm in this position that it wasn't enough to make him scoot away.

The room was damn cold and this was nice.

There was _no way_ he was moving.

Yuu's arms and legs felt wonderful against Mika's pallid skin, creating a bubble of warmth under the blankets.

Mika sighed, grinning to himself as the dim blue light of morning became steadily brighter.

He'd stay this way for as long as he possibly could... before the storm...

* * *

 **~Hemiola~**

* * *

Morning came and Yuu opened his eyes to find himself inhaling hair. He didn't remember any of his stuffed animals having such long or pale blond hair, – or sleeping with anything more than his pillows for the last five years for that matter, – and hey, the scent kind of reminded him of the strawberry shampoo he'd smelled in Mika's hair when they'd hugged in the library –

Yuu realized that the pocket of warmth in front of him was not caused by himself or the sun's rays shining across the bed, but the breathing body of Mikaela Shindo. Yuu yelped as he sat up in bed, horrified at their spooning position. Worse yet was how hot and comfortable he'd felt before he'd realized what he was doing. Yuu clambered out of bed and went straight to the bathroom to splash himself in the face with cold water as punishment faster than if his head had been on fire.

 _What am I doing?! When did_ that _happen?! What the fuck?!_ Those three questions roiled in Yuu's mind without end, and he found he could only pray that Mika hadn't noticed.

When Yuu emerged from the bathroom, Mika was sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes. "Good morning," he uttered breathily. Stretching his arms above his head, Mika yawned until tears appeared in the corners of his eyes. Yuu blinked. Mika's light hair was even more mussed from the night, and his movements were so lethargic that Yuu knew he wouldn't be truly awake for another half an hour (or more).

And, more pressingly, Yuichiro wanted to know if Mika remembered that he'd been cuddling him for half the morning.

"What time is it?" Yuu asked, swaying uneasily.

Mika saw Yuu's eyes dart to the digital clock on the side of his bed and he blinked slowly at it a few times before answering, "Nine o'clock."

Good. Late enough for Yuu to escape to the downstairs without seeming weird. "Oh, I better go see if the Director needs help making breakfast then," he fibbed lamely, heading out the door.

"'Kay..." Mika looked around. Then he found himself grinning at how wonderful he felt. He'd been warm most of the night thanks to Yuu. He couldn't believe how nice it'd felt being cuddled!

Yuu nearly tripped over his own feet down as he rushed down the stairs to flip on Call of Duty in the den, get his mind off of what the _heck_ he'd been doing all morning in the same bed as Mika. He stopped when he saw a black sedan pull up to the curb in front of the orphanage. Yuu waited with bated breath to see who would come out.

First was a tall man who exited out of the passenger seat. His face, Yuu couldn't see through the crystal framed glass of the door. When two more men got out the driver's seat and one of the seats in the back, the first turned around, and Yuu realized – with his silver-haired, cat-like smile, and long black tailcoat – he was the same butler he'd seen at the front of the Shindo Manor.

Yuu stepped back from the door. His heart was pounding.

No one else was awake, and they were here to retrieve Mika.

* * *

 **I decided it was high time I fulfill some of the drama/fluff requirements that I've promised so here~! I hope you liked the chapter!**

 **Once again, I'd like to thank my wonderful anonymous reviewers here since I cannot via PM! Toffee, I've never received such a long review from an anon! I'm so glad you like the progression of the story~ I'm really hoping I'm not doing everything too fast or slow since that's something I find really irksome about fics from all fandoms, and even for actual books, especially those that focus on romance. (Don't worry, there will be more Mitsunoa later on, as well as more of all of the characters. I haven't forgotten about them!)**

 **Thank you to Weflyatnight and my other Guests too! I'm so glad you guys like my writing style since I've been trying to make it better! (I still have a long way to go.) You flatter me by saying this could be its own manga. I agree completely that most AUs are only using the names of the characters without really taking into account the world they're from or their original personalities, like puppets on a marionette, the fanfic writer being the puppeteer. I really work to create fanfiction that pays homage to the original works while also making it my own~ (My Tumblr URL can be found on my bio if you're interested. :3)**

 **In regard to Yoichi and Kimizuki in general since a few people have asked now, I know I really ought to include them more, but between all the other characters it's been difficult for me to give them a relevant place in the plot. I just want to make it extremely clear to everyone that I literally haven't planned this story out at all since chapter 1, only that it is MikaYuu centric.** **It's been really fun so I'm not sure this format will ever change... No promises that there will be a happy ending (or that there will be any particular kind of ending for that matter). Anything can happen! And I hope you'll stick with me on this ride until the end and enjoy it the entire way~! ^^**

 **I've been really busy between school, human interactions, finishing another MikaYuu fic of mine, and Assassin's Creed, but I was finally able to find time to update! Please be sure to leave your thoughts on the chapter below~**


	10. Purpose

**WARNING** **: This chapter contains mentions of domestic abuse and non-consensual sexual advances.** _ **Please read at your own risk.**_

* * *

Chapter X: **Purpose**

* * *

Golden lights glistened in the branches of the Christmas tree. Set up in the window of the living room in front of the Hyakuya Orphanage, ornaments and candy canes of all colors, shapes, and sizes, all with their own touch of the orphans who lived there, refracted light from the tree. The entire place was adorned with festive decorations. Woven around the main staircase's rails were vines that flickered with red and green lights. Little statues of Mr. and Mrs. Claus and Manger Scenes rested on the surfaces in the other rooms. Arts-and-crafts of snowmen and elves done by the younger kids covered all the walls of the library and cabinets of the kitchen. The house smelling of ginger and cinnamon...

It was the day after Christmas and Yuichiro sat beside the candles emitting the aroma of pine needles in the living room. Usually darkened with its curtains drawn, now the wall-length windows' curtains were pulled back, giving him a full view of the plentiful snowflakes sugaring the already whitened ground. The other orphans were giggling in the other rooms, still fawning over and bragging about their favorite gifts: Akane, the newest album of her favorite boy band; Chihiro, a new set of Copic Markers for drawing manga; Kouta, the latest game to the Pokémon series; Taichi, a whole strove of Nintendo amiibo; Ako, a bonafide antique European tea set made of real, fine china; and Fumie, the completed list of volumes from her current favorite bishounen manga.

Yuu had been giggling happily among them when he realized... he'd never enjoyed the company of the orphans as much as he did this Christmas. When they'd fussed with him to help them bake and frost gingerbread cookies, saying Akane was too strict, or been chasing each other with glue sticks and permanent markers, or accidentally tangled all the Christmas tree lights up _again_ , he'd never seen them as anything more than an annoyance, too focused on trying to get back to his headphones and blare out the horrific beat of the tragedy from his past...

Not before a certain encounter, that is.

In Yuu's arms he held the beat-boxing kit he had seen at the music store that him and Mika visited in October. It had been delivered on his doorstep this morning, over ¥80,000 for the kind of quality in sound and number of layers the model was capable of.

How had Mika gotten it to him? Yuu didn't know. Inside had been a short letter wishing him a Merry Christmas, and that even though Yuu probably didn't have the slightest clue how to use the beat-boxing kit, Mika was sure Yuu would be able to create the kind of music he wanted one day – even if it was shallow and repetitive.

Yuu didn't feel any kind of resentment toward Mika for the snide comments in his letter, only a sickened feeling in his stomach – combined with something else that was weightless and filled him right up – at seeing the gift and the letter inside.

The last time he'd seen Mika... was only a few days ago, and yet it seemed like more than that. Yuu still felt guilty over what happened.

After he'd finished freaking out over cuddling Mika and over Ferid's sudden appearance, before he knew it the tall shadow of the butler loomed over him, though obscured by the crystal glass inlaid in the doorframe. There had been a swift knock and then a deafening silence. Ferid had surely known Yuichiro was right behind the door staring at him, so Yuu felt he had no choice but to open it – besides, he wasn't planning on letting them have Mika anyway. It was inevitable that Mika would have to go home, but Yuu had been hoping to stave them off for a few hours until he could break the news. The butler's knowing smirk became apparent by the opening of the door, on either sides of him two more neatly dressed servants, one slightly hunched over with dark hair and droopy eyes, the other standing tall and purposed, his dyed-purple hair in a very high topknot with bangs squaring his face.

"I assume you're here to get Mika," said Yuu with a half turn toward the stairs. "We got to bed really late and he's still asleep upstairs, so would you mind waiting a few hours?"

Only the second servant made any notion that he'd heard Yuu, looking to Ferid for indication of an order. Ferid merely smiled. "I take it you're Yuichiro?"

Yuu nodded slowly. "Yeah."

It had been then that the top step of the main staircase creaked, and they redirected their attention to Mika who doddered down, still sleepy and slurring his words to ask what was for breakfast, eyes barely open. Upon sensing the mood and seeing the three reasons for Yuu's tenseness standing in the doorway, Mika came to halt on the steps, his bare feet clinging to the slick wood. Cerulean eyes widened slightly, then narrowed until he was glaring at them. Mika's chin lowered.

Ferid forced Yuu to step away from the front door as he invited himself into the entryway of the orphanage with broad, calculated steps. He spread his arms toward Mikaela – the other two servants followed. "Mika, I'm glad to see you're all right!" The door slammed shut behind them, in turn shutting off all the coldness from the outside, leaving only the residue of snow in the genkan in the front. None of the servants took off their boots. "We were all so worried about you, rushing off into the cold like that when there was a snowstorm coming," continued Ferid. "But we were sure you'd come back within an hour, being that you had nowhere to go with no friends and all. I guess we were wrong."

Ferid sent a small smirk Yuichiro's way to which Yuu quickly glanced over at Mika for the correct response. Mika was ignoring them however. He felt ridiculous coming down in Yuu's _Yellow Submarine_ T-shirt and shorts, speaking as he did only when he was alone with Yuu so carelessly, when Ferid and his two best servants Lacus and René were right beside him. That gesture alone could give them reason enough to sever his and Yuu's relationship forever. "How did you find me?"

Ferid stopped at the bottom of the stairs, ruby eyes shifting up to Mikaela. "I remembered you bringing someone to the house whom you called 'Yuu,' so I contacted Hiiragi High and asked for someone in one of your classes with that name. They gave me all the information I wanted about little Amane Yuichiro from the Hyakuya Orphanage once I told them he might be interfering with the health of my charge and heir of the Shindo Corporation, threatened to sue for damage done to you in the time it would take to procure a warrant." He paused. "Well? Are you going to get your things and leave with us, or will we have to make you?"

Yuu was over his fright now and became increasingly angered by how rude and overpowering the butler and servants spoke to Mikaela. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? Wasn't Mika supposed to be _their_ master? They treated him as if he was a prisoner. "Hold on," Yuu interjected.

Ferid frowned, those ruby eyes shifting over to Yuu with indifference; this didn't put Yuu off at all to say what he did next. "Mika came here because he couldn't stand being around you guys anymore, and even if I don't know exactly what happened, I've seen enough to understand why. You can wait until he's –"

"No, Yuu. Stop."

Yuichiro was so surprised to have Mika agree with them that he couldn't form any words as Mika disappeared back up the stairs, soon returning in his school uniform, mechanically descending the stairs right into Ferid's grasp, who smirked at Yuu as they walked toward the door.

While Mika slipped on his shoes, wet with melted snow in the genkan, finally Yuu caught his voice and stepped forward. The other two servants contemplated stopping him, but the silver-haired butler held up a hand.

"You can't be serious, Mika?! What are you doing, going back with them so easily?!"

"No, I don't think _you_ understand, Yuu," Mikaela whispered furiously at him. He sounded angry, which shocked Yuu more than anything – Mika had never spoken to him like that before. The look Mika gave him after told Yuu that he didn't actually mean it – at least not in the way Yuu initially thought. "I can't stay here with you any longer," he confessed, his voice dropping hopelessly. "I... I have to go. I'll see you later."

Yuichiro knew Mika didn't actually want to leave. Still, he couldn't allow his servants to abduct him just like that. "Wait, Mika...! Mika!" Now the two servants did bar Yuu from reaching Mikaela at the door; Yuu's strength was no match for their own. They didn't even budge as Yuu pushed between them, shoes planted firmly on the ground.

"C'mon now, you'll see him again, right?" said the purple-haired one as amicably as possible – but Yuichiro still hated him. "At school or something?"

"Yeah, it's not like you'll never see each other again," added the stiffer one, dully.

They kept Yuu from reaching Mikaela all up until they slammed the orphanage's front door shut in Yuu's face, and Yuu, breathing rapidly with both hands pressed against the crystal-frame, watched as they loaded into their black sedan, – Mika first, in the back, then Ferid beside him, then the other two in the front, – and sped off in the direction of the high-end Tokyo residences.

Yuu's forehead had leaned against the door, hands curling into fists, tears of frustration in his eyes. Yuu knew the servants were right, – he would see Mika again at the school, – and yet... there was something else.

Mika had said his parents usually left discipline to their servants, but if the servants were willing to go as far as using physical force to keep Yuu from even touching Mika... what _was_ it to be a Shindo? Ferid had acknowledged that Mika had no friends. He knew very well the kind of people Mika dealt with – hell, Ferid had probably helped design Mikaela's life to be this way in the first place. Yuu didn't want to know the kind of crap they'd put Mika – and his friends – through just for getting close...

 _Three servants were so excessive,_ Yuu thought. _And Mika left without putting up a fight at all..._ His citrine eyes drifted from the window and falling snow beyond, to the beat-boxing kit in his hands. And now there was this. The gift. If the servants were that overprotective of Mika, how had Mika been able to buy and send such a hefty gift without them noticing? Would he been badly punished for it if they found out? No, _when_ they found out?

The doorbell rang and Yuu was aware of the kids rushing to the door, their volume growing as he heard greetings of familiar names in the entrance. He pushed himself off the edge of the couch, placing Mika's gift delicately on it.

Donning his blocky, steamed-up glasses from the cold outside was Shiho standing in the kitchen doorway. "Hey, idiot Yuu. I see your bedhead hasn't improved at all since the last time I saw you."

"Hey, idiot Kimizuki. You still look as much like a telephone pole as ever," Yuu remarked slyly back.

"Not surprising when all he eats are veggies," said Mitsuba, standing behind him.

"True, true," cooed Shinoa, popping her head around Mitsuba. "He's always very immaculate when it comes to those types of things."

Shiho's face lit in anger. "H-hey, I do not –!"

"And yet he's always messing things up," sighed Mitsuba, crossing her arms.

"Also true," agreed Shinoa.

"Why, you –!"

"K-Kimizuki, they didn't mean it!" said Yoichi, quickly stepping in between Shiho and the two girls who were sticking their tongues out at him as if to say "there's no way you can deny this one, buddy."

"Like hell they didn't!" Shiho burst, trying to reach around Yoichi. "They aren't sorry at all! I can see it on their smug little faces!"

Yuu laughed loudly at them, and something about the sound made the others freeze. Even on Christmas, they saw, Yuichiro had never looked so thoughtful. "You guys never change," he said, smiling at them.

Shiho and Mitsuba blinked, Yoichi and Shinoa staring.

Breaking their silence, Shinoa spoke first. "We brought you some things. You know, to help you become a pop star or whatever."

Yoichi stepped forward. "Y-yeah, since we know you've been having a hard time with all your nightmares and all... Uhh... Sorry to bring that up, Yuu!"

"It's fine," said Yuu. "Guys, you really didn't have to – I mean, I didn't get you guys anything –!"

"Oh don't be any _more_ of an idiot," said Mitsuba. "We know you don't have the money for that kind of thing."

"Yeah," said Shiho, "if we were expecting anything in return when we bought you something, we wouldn't have become your friend in the first place."

At that, Yuu had no choice but to gladly accept the things they'd gotten him – a set of good recording microphones, a handheld amplifier, recording headphones, even the Garage Band software and a MacBook Pro for using it on. Yuu couldn't believe their kindness, and he thanked them until they got angry and told him to just shut up and take the gifts already.

Afterward, lugging everything upstairs to his bedroom in a glow and dropping it on the floor, Yuu stopped, once again seeing the beat-boxing kit. He was so grateful for his friends... he couldn't help wonder who Mika had at a time like this during the holidays, when family and friends are most important. _Was_ there anyone...?

"Shinoa, I have to talk to you," said Yuu, coming down the stairs to her sitting at the dining room table sipping a juice box and looking upon the Christmas tree in the window.

She didn't look at him, just sipped her juice box slowly and methodically before finally saying, "You know, Yuu... for someone who isn't gay, you _are_ pretty adamant about that pianist of yours." Her magenta eyes flicked over to his with mirth, and Yuu's face became as red as the cranberry-strawberry juice she was sipping.

Yuichiro opened his mouth to snap back at her, but no sound came out. Everyone else was in the kitchen frosting gingerbread cookies as Shiho showed up even Akane in the art of whisking badder, the young kids ooing and ahing. This was between him and Shinoa, no one else. But Mika... needed help. As soon as possible. Mika, who shined so brightly, despite everything he had been through. A light Yuu could never amount to... The vibrance that emanated from the piano every time he played... Yuu must protect that light, whatever the cost.

Shinoa caught a flash of the pain that came over Yuichiro's features and almost reached out to him with sympathy, ask what could have possibly happened when he walked home with Mika the other day. The pain was soon replaced by determination though. "Shinoa, something... something terrible is happening over there, and I don't know what it is. I just have this feeling..."

Shinoa asked, "Is there any way you can contact him?"

"I have his phone number, but even if he replies he'll say he's all right regardless of whether he actually is." Yuu's shoulders sagged. "I just feel so... helpless. I mean, what can I do against a corporation that big with trained servants and all...?"

Shinoa studied Yuu for a moment. "Yuu, let's be real here." She held up a finger. "You can, one, sit here sulking about it, or two," – she put up another finger – "march over there and probably get your ass handed to you. Not to mention end up hurting Mikaela more in the process. I'm not sure there's anything you _can_ do."

Yuu sighed. "I know you're right, but..." _Still, I..._

"You're worried about him?"

Yuu nodded.

"It's understandable..." She glanced back at the kitchen. "Mitsu's family isn't exactly agreeable either," she said in a low voice. "...And neither is mine. Though, when put next to the Shindos, both are probably quite a lot more freelancing. At least Mitsu and I can get away from them without having to worry about servants threatening others to find us. That's mostly because we're the youngest in the Hiiragi and Sanguu families so no one really cares what we do. It's not like we're going to become the next heir or anything. What exactly happened?"

"The servants came over and demanded that he go back home! Better yet Mika just went with them!" said Yuu exasperatedly, shrugging with voracity. "I just... I don't understand. Maybe there's a lot about the Shindos – and the Hiiragis and the Sanguus – that I don't understand..."

Shinoa registered the sullen mood about Yuu, knowing he wasn't willing to back down, but also knowing he couldn't see an end. Having dealt with a strict rich family firsthand, she knew there wasn't much he could do. "Well, personally I would say if you want to still be friends with Mikaela," she said, "that it will get increasingly difficult as time passes unless you can stand submitting to the servants' time constrictions. You can be sure they'll interfere more the harder you push against them."

Yuu was about to ask for details on what they might do, but Mitsuba interrupted his thoughts by coming in the room with a plate of badly-frosted gingerbread men with gumdrops as jacket buttons and M&Ms as eyes. "Man, Kimizuki sure likes showing off his culinary skills. I was sure the eldest orphan girl was gonna explode at any moment, but she somehow managed to keep it in." She leaned down and gave Shinoa a quick peck on the mouth before offering her a cookie.

Yuichiro's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets from the short exchange. He turned swiftly away and crossed his arms. Shinoa and Mitsuba watched him with incredulity and disgust. "Really?" panned Mitsuba monotonously.

"Yuu, you're such a cherry boy," giggled Shinoa. "Can't you handle a little _girl love_?"

Yuu threw his hands in the air when he answered them, still not turning around. "I-I'm just not used to seeing it is all!"

"Hm... Maybe if we kiss _longer_ and _more passionately_ the message will get through?" suggested Shinoa deviously.

"You're on," muttered Mitsuba. They started making happy chirpy noises to which Yuu spun around, face and ears bright red, only to see the girls were grinning sideways at him, lips touching, but not actually kissing. "Haha, fooled you!" they chanted in unison, pointing at him.

Yuu screamed in anger as he stormed out toward the kitchen. "That's the _last_ time I hang out with you two alone in the same room!" He was doing his best to push another image from his mind.

* * *

 **~Maestro sostituto~**

* * *

Faces, names, addresses, phone numbers; CEOs of companies, marketers, competition; all were boring and colorless to Mika's cerulean eyes, clouded as each passed through the conversation at the dinner table. He sat between his parents, barely paying any mind to the smoked salmon on the silver-studded plate before him as he gulped it down. They chatted on, only speaking to him when they wanted to inform him about one of their newest business partners in the market, so he didn't look at them, only at Krul, who stood by the door to the kitchen, grinning at him, crimson eyes squinted, hands behind her back.

Though he had escaped the orphans' swords in their little duel less than a week ago, his arms stung with bruises caused by Krul as he ate. Whether his parents knew of the discipline she had carried out on him earlier that day for the cost of the beat-boxing kit he had sent to Yuu, Mika didn't know. Either way they wouldn't care. Actually, it was likely they didn't know; they'd order harsher punishment for spending that amount of money on a friend with no benefit to the company.

When dinner was over, Mika was permitted to his quarters and fled from the dining room with haste. Only to be cornered in the halls before his door by the head butler. In a flash, a hand was around the collar of Mikaela's shirt and his head slammed into the wall without care. Mika grunted in pain at the swift movements, taken completely by surprise. Nothing but hatred lined his crystalline eyes as he glared at Ferid.

"Don't look so angry, Young Master," the butler spat indignantly, lips turning up, containing his true ire. He spoke fast and furiously, his sweet breath further choking Mikaela's senses, Ferid's arm pressing him into the wall blocking off the passage of air to his lungs. "Running away was completely out of line but perhaps understandable with all the stress from missing school – which was your fault in the first place. Perhaps we _could_ have let your absences slide but, this _gift_ you sent without our permission, now _that_ is something Krul should let _all of us_ have a go at you for. Do you know how _bad_ it makes us look when something like that gets by? Do you know whose pay check gets _cut_ when something of that caliber occurs right under our noses? Hm?!" He pounded Mika's head into the wall again so hard that Mika's vision went white for a moment.

It'd been a few years since Ferid had been allowed to discipline him; Krul usually liked doing it herself, so she forbid anyone else from touching Mika. This was most likely against her orders. "Careful, Ferid," Mika croaked. He was losing air – and consciousness – fast. "If Krul finds us like this, you'll be punished more greatly than _me_."

Ferid pushed him one more time into the wall before letting go. Mika slumped to the ground, coughing and holding his throat. Ferid took a few breaths while facing the opposite direction before circling back to Mikaela, a finger pointed aggressively down at him, this time speaking slower and eloquent as usual. "If your parents were to hear about how you skipped school for a week due to whatever emotional drama you're going through –"

"You'd have hell to pay just as me," Mika finished for him, standing to meet him with defiance. "I know how it works around here, Ferid. You aren't fooling me. I won't do it again, and that's that." Mika turned his back on Ferid to the door to his room, his hand twisting the golden knob when there was a breath on his shoulder. Ferid's gloved fingers slithered through his blond hair and around the base of his neck, gripping firmly – not enough to choke, but tightly enough that Mika was unable to move.

Incidentally, Mikaela began to tremble. _This_ was the feeling that haunted him at night when his butler came to check on his progress with his homework or other corporation-involved activities – the inexplicable, unbound lust within Ferid that terrified him more than anything else. Ferid's voice was a mere whisper, which scared Mika even more, though he did his best not to show it. "I could do it so easily." Shivers wracked Mikaela's body. That was the first time Ferid said it out loud, only reconfirming the fear that more and more made him want to scream. The moment he did, Ferid would leave, make him look as if he concocted the whole idea and get Mika into even more trouble to torment him with later.

"I _could_ make you submit to me, but..." Ferid's voice was shaking, _desperate_ , like a plea. He said no more. They just stood there with Ferid taking in the scent of Mika's hair and the sweat rolling down his back, Mikaela crying out for someone, _anyone_ to walk in on this scene and see and he _wasn't_ making it up, that Ferid really _was_ the creep he'd warned them of since he was a little boy.

No such savior arrived.

Something within Ferid broke, and he burrowed his nose deeper into Mikaela's hair until his lips were brushing Mika's neck. Mika whimpered as the butler's lips parted and his tongue coated warm saliva on the side of his neck. God, he never should have turned his back to Ferid. There would be no trusting Ferid with anything after this. Not ever again.

Ferid's other hand was gripping Mika's wrist now, and his teeth nibbled delicately on Mika's neck, lightly at first, then increasingly rough, sucking hard as he pushed Mika until he was facing Ferid, his back against the door. With Ferid leaning over him like this, Mika's fortitude to not start screaming was fading fast, anticipating what would be next. But Ferid leaned back from the dark bruises he'd left on Mika's porcelain skin and just grinned, taking in the sweet, sweet fear in Mikaela's wide, blue eyes. _That_ was what he was after. He chuckled quietly. "My, my... you would think after all Krul has done to you, this would be nothing." He let go of Mikaela, who did all he could to stay standing as Ferid laughed, traipsing down the hall. "That'll do. Make sure you don't step out of line again, Young Master Mikaela." He stopped, smiled, making Mikaela tense up again. "It would be a shame to see that beautiful look of scared innocence in your eyes destroyed before your first time with your beloved."

Mika was chilled more than ever by the butler's words as he disappeared around the corner, his neck and arms burning where Ferid had touched him. He understood the true intent behind those words.

Ferid knew how much Mika fancied Yuu.

* * *

 **~Lamentoso~**

* * *

The moon was out and shining milky white rays of light on the intricate designs of carpet in the halls of the Shindo Manor, washing them out. Looking both ways, Mikaela tip-toed out of his room and down the halls, down the stairs, through the study-lounge until he came to the circular piano room, feet barely making a sound. The rest of the mansion was utterly silent.

Mika propped up the top cover to the first notch so only the barest of sound would get through, pulled out the bench and sat on it. Though disconnected from the rest of the mansion so no one would hear him playing even at this silent hour of dawn, he didn't want to push it. Losing this too...

Taking in a deep breath, Mika opened the cover to reveal the treasure chest of ebony and ivory keys underneath. Just the sight of the piano and all its perfection soothed him on nights like these, filling him the calm he knew he needed to play. Thinking a moment while looking out upon the vast gardens out the windows of the circular room, to the white, white snow sparkling with the light from the white, white moon, he closed his eyes and soaked up the silence of the night, before placing his hands on the keys and starting to play.

High notes leapt into lower ones, swirling in a whirlpool of sounds that gave him a feeling of weightlessness as his fingers danced around each other, complimented each other. It was _Valse Op. 69 No. 2_ by Frédéric François Chopin, a waltz counted in threes, and Mikaela loved the feeling of letting go of everything for a moment, just to feel the lilt and structure of the music, to flow with the wonderful feeling of not having a care in the world, without thinking of anything else, only the melody he created himself. As the music crawled on, Mika came to the next section of notes that bobbed in and out in pitch and volume, indisposed and purposed. His fingers trickled down to their demise, repeating again, and marking the closing of the section.

Sometimes, when he played, he could also be thinking diligently about something else entirely and still hear the music his fingers played. Those moments were rare however, a kind of "zone" for a piano player that seldom occurred. Tonight certainly was not one of those nights. When he came to the next section that required delicacy and gentleness with ardency, Mika's fingers began to slip and he crashed down, his weight coming back to him. All he could remember were Ferid's rough lips and teeth on his neck, Krul's cold stare as she hit him over and over on the arms, or on the legs, leaving marks that would go away with time except in his heart. He recalled his parents' coldness at all this, their chastity when he would go to them, sniffling, as a very, very small child, ordering the servants to take him away and set him right, before he'd learned to hide his emotions and take whatever they dished out... contrasted to Yuu's warm fingers that had held his when he was freezing and alone in the street, found their way to his cheeks and their breaths that were in sync when they stood in the street with the wind whipping around them, foreheads pressed together. Yuu's arms that had held him so tightly and tenderly in the library, as he led Mika out of the cold and into the orphanage, into the warmth of his bed...

Mika banged his hands on the keys, silencing the sound of his own inadequacy with tumultuous noise. " _I can't!_ " he cried despairingly, and tears fell from his eyes as he leaned over the piano and sobbed. " _I can't do it anymore!_ "

He couldn't keep pretending to be all right when he wasn't. He couldn't continue on this way, knowing how it felt to be loved for who you are, not how much money you're worth. He'd been so rooted before, oblivious to the way he truly felt about it all, oblivious to his own _suffering_.

And now that he knew, what could he do about it? The closer he became to Yuu, the farther his parents and the Shindo servants would pull him away...

He couldn't get closer. If not for his own sake, for Yuu's. Yuichiro didn't love him in _that_ way anyway. It would be stupid to throw away everything and defy parents like the Shindos for someone who didn't see you the same way in return... right?

Mika sat up, wiped his eyes and stared at the piano keys. But the tears still flowed.

He hated it when his parents asked him to play for someone, one of their colleagues or a to-be business partner they were trying to sway, using Mikaela's abilities to convince them. He was just their prize – their trophy to be waved around and courted into being whatever they wanted... When Yuu asked him to play, he was doing it selfishly but at least he admitted so – for a reason like helping him overcome the nightmares of his past, rather than using Mika to impress others.

From the first moment Yuichiro had heard him playing _Moonlight Sonata_ in the music room, Mikaela could tell by the look on his face that Yuu had seen and heard right through Mika's prettied tones, straight to the source. He'd heard Mika's suffering at that moment, his cry for help, and he pursued that cry despite Mika's every attempt to push him away...

Someone actually _cared for_ him, and yet Mikaela couldn't stand it, because it wasn't the type of care he needed. Empathy, although often connected to love, was not the same as love itself.

 _"My, my... you would think after all Krul has done to you, this would be nothing,"_ mocked Ferid's voice. _"Make sure you don't step out of line again, Young Master Mikaela. It would be a shame to see that beautiful look of scared innocence in your eyes destroyed before your first time with your beloved."_

He had to protect Yuu from whatever Ferid and Krul were planning. They would not let Mika's defiance go with a simple beating and sensuous desires...

Something more evil would cross Yuu and Mika's path.

* * *

 **~Sonore~**

* * *

"Jeez, Amane Yuichiro, what's with calling at eleven o'clock at night and during Winter Break? What d'you wa –?"

"Guren!"

Sitting in his apartment with a book and fire before him, legs crossed, the man groaned. Whatever it was, the kid was all pumped up and wouldn't stop calling back until he got the answer he wanted. "What is it, Yuu? Another annoying friend join your little group that you want me to kick out? I'll still never forget when you called me about getting Yoichi off your butt."

A pause. "Actually, I want you to tell me more about the Shindo-Hiiragi dynamic. I mean, I'm not even sure what the Shindo Corporation does, but there seems to be some serious power struggle tension going on somewhere..."

Guren smiled. "Oh, so this is about that kid Mikaela, is it?"

"Sh-shuddup!" Yuu cried embarrassedly. "I'm just interested in it since it keeps popping up, that's all..."

Guren chuckled at him, closing his book and setting it aside on the table to his left. He leaned forward in his seat. "All right, but why didn't you ask those girls, Hiiragi Shinoa and Sanguu Mitsuba about this? I'm sure they could have given you a better account of what's going on inside than I can, being a lowly Ichinose."

Telephone static.

"What? Don't trust them?"

"...No."

"Tired of being teased?"

"A-are you gonna tell me or not?"

"Fine, fine," sighed Guren. "I'll tell you all you need to know, but Yuu, you have to promise me something."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Promise me none of this conversation I will reach the ears of the higher-ups."

"...Sure."

Guren closed his eyes, lips stretching in a grin. Yuu was going to challenge them, wasn't he? "Then first, let me explain how the Hiiragis came to power over Japan's main prefectures..."

* * *

 **If you're having trouble picturing what Ferid, Lacus, and René would look like in anything other than their swirly vampire attire, just so you know I've been imagining them as silver-haired, purple-haired, and long-haired versions of Sebastian Michaelis from** _ **Black Butler**_ **which is actually fitting delightfully in my mind! (Psst someone draw it...)**

 **I accomplished many things this chapter that I've kinda been meaning to for a while (and yet still not everything), and I hope you'll enjoy this new-ish development in the plot!**

 **Oh! Something I should mention... The lovely lemynguedoodles drew fanart of the first chapter of this fic on Tumblr! Check out their Tumblr you wanna see for yourself!**

 **I hope you liked the chapter! Please don't forget to give your opinion below~**


	11. Rising Sun

Chapter XI: **Rising Sun**

* * *

Yuichiro yawned at his desk the morning following Winter Break, rubbing his forehead beneath raven bangs. He hadn't seen Mika since that time before Christmas, – though Yuu had invited him over for New Years and hadn't gotten a text back, – which meant he hadn't heard Mika play piano either. His nightmares were coming back.

Instead of flashbacks about knives and a searing pain that grew duller as warm blood stained his clothes, or the sensation of a great coldness taking over his body even as smoke from the fire in his kitchen filled his lungs, he dreamt about the confusion afterward while under the surveillance of child services. He dreamt of the time he spent being pushed from place to place within Tokyo until finally Guren got his hands on him and said enough, of all the adults who treated him like a wounded puppy rather than a person who needed some recuperation.

Yuu was sure what Guren had told him about the Hiiragis being a sinister organization who ruled over Japan's prefectures was true. Under the jurisdiction of the Hiiragis, Yuichiro could recall the shiftiness of the child service officers. They hadn't been too friendly, even to a 14-year-old Yuu who had recently lost both his parents to legalities and suicide, and been hospitalized for a few months in critical condition. Guren had said the Hiiragis' influence was more widespread while the Shindos were more focused, but the two worked hand-in-hand in their struggle for power. They pushed out other political parties who opposed them, in some cases going to extreme measures like bribing, spying, theft, and even physical threats to obtain the seats of office they desired. Since they were the ones in power, few could stop them.

Guren had been unable to say what their ultimate goal could be. He could only speculate there was no one true goal except power, and advised Yuu "to keep an eye out" for trouble.

 _Oh well._ Yuu sighed down to the courtyard below outside the window, where snow blanketed the shrubs and flowerbeds. The sun was nowhere to be seen behind the thick curtain of snowy fog, which kept the fence around the school property from being distinguished amongst the trees. Yawning again, Yuu sat a little straighter in his seat. _I'll try to ask Mika about it later,_ he dismissed, waiting for the moment that fluffy blond head would appear at the doorway so he could ask how Mikaela had gotten through the rest of Winter Break with only his servants and family.

Yoichi, Shiho, Shinoa, and Mitsuba all arrived and greeted Yuu individually at his desk, talked about how their New Year had gone to which Yuu listened politely – but kept his peripheral vision trained on the door.

When the bell rung with still no Mika, the professor and a new student stood at the front of the classroom. "This is our new student who will be with us for the rest of the school year," the professor announced, gesturing to the student who glanced shyly at the class. "He transferred from Shinjuku on the request of Head Principal Hiiragi Kureto of Hiiragi High. Would you please introduce yourself to the class?"

The student grinned – though it looked more like a smirk to Yuichiro – and bowed. Lifting his head, the student said, "Hello, my name is Asuramaru. Nice to meet you." He bowed again as heated whispers passed around the class.

"Wow, he must be important if Principal Kureto personally appointed him to be here!"

"Why else would they allow him to transfer in the middle of the semester?"

"He's gotta have some crazy connections!"

Yuu flushed a ghostly white as their words passed through his conscience, looked the new transfer student up and down: skinny, long violet hair, and a deceptive gleam to his exposed right eye. The other was hidden by his hair.

When the teacher said, "Thank you. Please take a seat," and the transfer student sat down at _Mika's desk_ , that was when it finally hit Yuu. He glared at the back of Asuramaru's school uniform, his aura smoldering with hate. Not even Shinoa, sitting behind him, realized this or could snicker at Yuu's reaction before he had raised an arm, bursting out above all the whispers in class, "Teacher, what happened to Mika?"

The heads of the other students whirled around, looking shocked that someone of Yuu's standing – poor grades, messy hair, and rough speech – would ask the whereabouts of the popular and attractive A-student, Mikaela, but the professor answered him with blasé conviction – didn't even look back at Yuichiro as he wrote math formulas on the board. "Due to some family troubles, Mikaela Shindo was moved out of the class."

"Where?!" Yuu demanded.

Turning around to point his piece of chalk threateningly at Yuu, the professor snapped, "Mind your tone, Amane! And I don't know, you'll have to ask someone in the school staff. Now, getting back to what we started learning before Winter Break –"

Chair legs scraped across the floor and Yuichiro was already at the sliding door in the front of the classroom, slammed it open and marched down the hall, straight for the principal's office. "Amane, now is not the time for rash behavior!" the professor yelled after him. "Get back here!"

"Idiot!" came Shiho.

"Yuu, don't –!"

Yuu ignored the gasps and yells of surprise back in the classroom. No matter what anyone else might try to tell him, he didn't like the gleam in the new transfer student's eye, nor the circumstances that brought him here. There could only be one explanation, and Yuu had to reverse it before Mika was lost to him forever.

"Guren!" Yuu yelled, swinging open the door to the principal's office without asking if he was in the middle of something. It was empty. "Where's Principal Ichinose?!" Yuu asked the wheat-haired secretary who was scowling at him – Sayuri Hanayori.

"Stop being so noisy at this time of morning, brat," droned a voice from the hall leading to the teacher's lounge, a mug of coffee in one hand. "What is it?"

Yuu stomped right up to him. "They've taken Mika!"

Guren held up a hand to get Yuu to back off, groaning at the volume of Yuu's voice and releasing a large exhale in his face. "Whadd're you talking about? Who's taken Mika?"

Yuu was _not_ willing to pipe down. "The Hiiragis! They've transferred Mika to another classroom! Do you know where he is? I have to see him!"

"Alright, alright, calm down," said Guren. He looked toward Sayuri, which directed Yuu's overbearing attention onto her as well. "Secretary Hanayori, search our database for the location of the student named 'Shindo Mikaela.'"

She nodded and readily typed Guren's request into the keypad as Guren lazily sipped his steaming coffee, Yuu waiting patiently (albeit antsy) beside her. A few seconds passed. The lines of Sayuri's normally flawless skin became more prominent around her eyes and mouth. "Uh, sir?"

"What is it?" asked Guren, coffee cup still to his mouth, eyes closed.

"According to this, there is no Shindo Mikaela enrolled in the sixth establishment of Hiiragi High. In fact..." She looked hopelessly up at them. "He isn't enrolled in _any_ of our schools."

Guren's eyes widened and he nearly choked on his coffee.

Yuu stepped toward her, his anxiety spiking. "What?!"

"That's crazy..." mumbled Guren, wiping coffee from his lips.

Sayuri said, "But it's the truth, sir. They wiped all records on Shindo Mikaela completely from the databases, here, look." She turned the screen toward Yuu and Guren, to the single phrase under the search bar that stated, "No search results."

The shock on Yuu's face slowly disappeared when he noticed something on the screen. "Ah, wait, you didn't spell his name correctly. It's Mikaela in katakana, spelled Mi-ka-e-la. Not Michael, spelled Ma-i-ke-lu."

Glancing at the screen, Sayuri scrambled. "Oh really?! Sorry, my bad!" She quickly swapped out the characters and pressed enter. But there were still no results. Her and Yuu turned to Guren, who leaned up from the computer with a hand over his mouth. "What would cause them to go to such lengths...?"

As if he'd been asking her, Sayuri shrugged. "Maybe they were paid off with a dotage from his wealthy parents, I don't know."

Yuu watched Guren, desperate to get him to say something on the matter, but the principal only stood erect, processing the information, an equal perplexity on his face. Every second, Yuu's resolve became more frantic. What should he do if no one could figure out where Mika was...?

"Helloooo, excuse me, could you point me in the direction of the idiot who charged in here not a few minutes ago? Thank you." A cunning voice traveled through the office until Shinoa entered the scene, taking in the gloomy mood.

"Why're you here, Hiiragi?" Guren asked, intrusive.

"I told the teacher I knew what this was about and would bring you back to the classroom, Yuu," she said, ignoring Guren's tone. She added before Yuu could retort, "But I know that isn't happening. I'm here to give you information."

Yuu said, "Then spit it out already!"

"Only if you ask _nicely_ ," she said, holding up a finger to his passionate stance.

Yuu didn't hesitate to give Shinoa a perfect right-angled, 90° bow and beg, "Please tell me everything you know about Mika's disappearance, Shinoa! I have to know where he is as soon as possible!"

Even Guren raised his eyebrows at Yuu's immediate humble response, and a low whistle escaped his lips.

"Wow, Yuu, I was only joking," Shinoa said, greatly surprised.

Yuu didn't care about gloating right now though. "Hurry up and tell me, Shinoa!"

"Okay, okay. I know what you're probably thinking: 'I'm gonna go charge into the Shindo Manor and demand them to release him, because I'm just that awesome!'" She mimicked Yuu's as best she could, pumping both arms with her hands as fists. "But Yuu, as we've discussed before, this is a terrible idea."

"What else am I supposed to do?!" Yuu nearly shouted at her – she was right, going to the Shindo Manor was exactly what he'd been thinking if neither Guren nor the high school database could tell him where Mika was now. "If no one knows where he is," said Yuu, "then the one place I know where he might be is at his house. And even if I end up getting in trouble for charging in there uninvited, at least I'll get to see him and know if he's okay!" Yuu still had the heavy sense that something else had happened to Mika for him getting the beat-boxing kit, though he couldn't explain it – even if Mika had been taken out of the country for sending him the gift, Yuu felt Mika would have texted him or communicated in some way that he was fine, even if he wasn't. Mika's parents wouldn't take away his phone since he needed it to be informed about the corporation. Instead he got the wake-up call that Mika had been replaced in class, and now no one could find where he was. Much more overwhelming than Yuu's worry was his sense to save Mika from whatever the unknown force was.

"It's fine if you don't care about getting yourself into trouble," said Shinoa, "but what about Mikaela? If you go over there, he'll likely be punished more greatly than you would be if they caught you. Or did you forget they have full control over him at all times?!"

"What do you suggest then, Shinoa?" Guren pressed before Yuu could. He too was getting annoyed by her circuitous route of information and carefree reasoning, and wanted to know why the Hiiragis cared so much about one Shindo. "Have you heard anything about what they've done with him?"

"I can't say," said Shinoa, taking a breath.

"Then why are you here?" Guren asked, agitated.

"I only know that Yuu was the direct cause of it."

Yuu blinked. "Me?"

"Yes, you're the first to defy the Shindos in such a manner, and since the Shindos are in league with my family, the Hiiragis, they're working together to make sure you don't interfere ever again."

Yuu grumbled, "Why do the Shindos care so much if I want to be Mika's friend? Don't they have more important things to worry about, like their stock shareholders or something?"

"You would think," said Shinoa. "But perhaps they don't. Yuu, you have to remember their entire lives have been geared toward the success of their company. I'm sure you know that their friendships aren't based on whom they actually enjoy spending time with. Who even knows if marriage between members of the Shindo Family is fixed or based on love?"

"Sure, but it's not like I'm looking to..." Yuu's lips twitched and suddenly he couldn't speak. His ears and face lit pink. Thankfully he was facing away so Guren couldn't see.

Shinoa held up both arms, masking the humor in her grin. "They don't know what your intentions are. If you're putting ideas into Mikaela's head, like he can do as he wishes and no longer has to follow the regulations and requirements set before him by his family to take over as heir of the corporation, who's to say they won't cut you out of his life completely?"

Guren cut in, "All right, but what do the Hiiragis have to do with all of this? I know they help fund the Shindo Corporation and work together for power within the government, but what they _want_ that power for, I have no idea. Shinoa, you're closer to them than anyone else. What do you know?"

Shinoa smirked at him, knowing full well the _real_ reason he cared so much. "It's surprising how little you know when you're part of their ranks, Principal Ichinose."

"Don't get smart with me," Guren snapped. "Just answer the question."

She shrugged snidely. "For what purpose the Hiiragis want power, well... I can't imagine. They don't tell me since I'm the youngest in the family. And that's all I know."

Yuu said, "Shinoa, you never answered what I should do about Mika."

She put a finger to her chin, thinking. "Hmmm... My advice is to wait and see what you can learn from the new transfer student. I'm sure you realized he isn't actually here to study, right?"

Yuu nodded. "Yeah. But if he's a spy, getting information out of him is going to take a while. I can't wait that long. Mika needs help _now_."

Shinoa said, "You'll have to figure that out on your own, but if you want any real information out of him, it's going to take some time. You'll see your cute blond pianist again, Yuu. I'm sure of it~!" She winked at him, smiling, but Yuu only lowered his head.

He wondered what Mika's overbearing servants could be doing to him in the time it took to extract an answer from Asuramaru.

* * *

 **~Cavatina~**

* * *

"Hey, you." Yuichiro had broken off from his group of friends to corner Asuramaru in the hallway of the Fine Arts wing once after-school cleanup was over on Friday. All throughout the week, the transfer student had been surrounded by others, treated as the new "cool kid," so now was the only opportunity. Yuu would get his answer one way or another. After what Shinoa and Guren had told him, there was no other choice. "I know you know where Mika is. Tell me."

Asuramaru watched a moment as Yuu came toward him before letting his dumb school kid act slip right off his face. He saw there would be no fooling Yuu. A hand rested on his hip as he smirked at Yuichiro. "So you're the over-passionate nuisance my sister was telling me about."

Yuu halted and muttered, "Your sister?"

"Yeah, head of the servants in the Shindo Manor," said Asuramaru, gesticulating out the window with one arm. "She doesn't like you at all – says you're always getting in the way of her perfect plans. But that's none of your business," he concluded, shooting Yuu that complacent stare as he grinned. It vanished while his gaze drifted to the side, thoughtfully. "Well, except for the last part..."

"It is my business," Yuu countered, ignoring Asuramaru's attempts to be affably distracting. That was something he hated about all these servants – they always acted as if they were in the clear, that there was just nothing anyone could do to stop them. "I need to know where you've taken Mika."

"Taken him?" Asuramaru proposed, head tilting to one side. "He transferred out of here because he couldn't stand being around you guys. Said you were smothering him."

"No, that's what you're doing," said Yuu. "And even if Mika did feel that way, he would never say that out loud."

Asuramaru's smirk grew deeper. "Even if you're right, what makes you think I'd ever tell you where he is?"

"Because," said Yuu. He started to walk forward, and immediately Asuramaru felt the difference in Yuu's stance and his voice, the resolution that propelled him toward him now. Asuramaru knew that suddenly the tables had been turned.

"Even if all of you underestimate me, and do everything in your power to keep me away from Mika... even if you lie, try to trick me, bribe me, beat me until I can't think..." Asuramaru stumbled back, running into the wall, his crimson eye wide, Yuu's defiant aura only growing stronger, feeling the loneliness of those months he spent going between homes and facilities all too well from his recent nightmares. "...It will be _nothing_ compared to the years I spent alone, surrounded by so many who said they understood my situation, who said they cared, only to turn their backs when I needed them most... I _will not_ let Mika remain bound to the same fate. Not anymore." Yuu grabbed the scuff of Asuramaru's school uniform, to which he yelped "hey!", but Yuu only continued. "So whether you're willing to tell me or not, I _will_ save Mika from whatever you're doing to him, one way or another, and if you don't believe me, _just watch!_ "

Under Yuichiro's trembling hold, Asuramaru griped, "So, what, you're going to threaten me in order to get what you want, and then you're calling us the bad guys?! Isn't that a little too hypocritical?!"

"Who said I was going to threaten you?"

Before Asuramaru could ask what Yuu meant by that, Yuu was already dragging him by the cuff of his school shirt toward the custodian's closet. Crammed with supplies like mops and buckets, Yuu shoved Asuramaru into one of them before slamming it shut and locking the door from the outside.

"H-hey, you idiot! What do you think you're doing?! Putting someone in unauthorized confinement is illegal, you know!" Asuramaru yelled, his voice muffled as he pounded on the door.

"So is bribery and murder, but that doesn't stop you!" Yuu yelled back at him.

"I don't know what you're trying to accomplish by putting me in here, but –!"

"You're gonna tell me what happened to Mika!" Yuu clarified. "Until then, I won't open this door!"

The banging stopped, and Yuu heard Asuramaru's large sigh through the door. "Going on about that still? Someone will free me before I tell you anything –"

"Actually," Yuu interrupted, "no one comes around this wing of the school until late at night after all the clubs are over, and they don't come down this hallway to check the closets, since it's unlikely anyone would care to hide out here or steal supplies, and the students who did cleanup were supposed to have locked them. Plus, it's Friday. Meaning I can leave you in here for _days_ without anyone finding you."

Asuramaru grunted, "You wouldn't actually –"

"Oh yeah?" Yuu turned the opposite direction and stalked down the hall, to which Asuramaru was silent all up until Yuu was at the entrance to the Fine Arts wing, when he started desperately calling for Yuu to return.

"Yes?" Yuu inquired as if nothing was wrong, back at the closet door.

"Bastard!" Asuramaru hissed at him.

"Is that any way to treat the person in control of whether you have a weekend or not?" Yuu crooned at him.

Asuramaru said nothing. This was going to take longer, Yuu knew, so he sat down with his back against the closet door, legs crossed. At the other end of the hall, the foggy world outside became darker and darker, thick snowfall obscuring the rest of the school yard. Eventually, he heard Asuramaru sit down too.

Laughing friend groups rushed off of the school property and around the corner, to their warm homes, and finally Yuu heard the door to the wing's main hall get locked. They hadn't come down the hall at all, as Yuu knew they wouldn't. From his times staying here after cleanup so many nights when he'd first transferred, not wanting to go back to the orphanage, he'd crouched in the very closet Asuramaru was in now, his hands over his blue chrome headphones on his ears, rocking himself back and forth. His new home was full of children who were in the same situation and yet they couldn't understand... They'd each told him why they'd been taken from their parents, but child services interfered before their horrific experiences could imprint too deeply onto them at their young ages.

The darker it became, the worse Yuu felt about where the Director must be thinking he was, fearing he'd gone back to those times. It was quite the opposite in actuality.

Many hours passed with only the hum of the heater to accompany them, otherwise silent throughout the school with the occasional honking car or siren in the distance. By the time Asuramaru spoke, it had been quiet for so long that Yuu jolted a little.

"...I don't get it."

Yuu had been starting to nod off, but was shaken awake, slurring groggily, "Get what?"

Asuramaru exhaled. On the other side of the door, he hugged his slender pant legs, violet hair pooling around his socks, having taken off his shoes and rested them against the wood door. "Krul said you were stubborn, but I didn't think you would go to these lengths to save your friend..." His eye sifted over the shelves of laundry detergent. There was a single lightbulb in the closet, which made small shards of yellow fragment under the crack of the door, over the tiled floor on the other side where Yuu was sitting. Asuramaru brushed his hair out of his other eye before it settled back. "I mean... wouldn't it have been easier for you to beat me up?"

Yuu thought a moment. Asuramaru was quite a lot smaller than him, not only in height but greatly in build as well. Yuu could have used that to his advantage and gotten an answer long before now. Yuu shrugged against the door. "Yeah, probably."

"Then why didn't you?"

 _Well, for one, I would get in trouble with the school staff, and Guren would kill me for getting into another fight,_ Yuu thought to himself. But that wasn't the only reason. If it had been, Yuu wouldn't have hesitated. Beating up Asuramaru would have meant, as he had said, being as bad as the Shindos and the Hiiragis, and it would have alerted their attention to Yuu and probably resulted in more severe punishment for Mika, but also... After the way Mika acted when his servants came to get him at the orphanage, the hidden anger and _fear_ when he'd told Yuu that he didn't understand... it reminded Yuu of his own reaction to those who claimed to understand his situation when he was in the hospital. If Yuu did something rash to get Mika in trouble, Mika would only become more and more distant... The act he put up, Yuu realized, wasn't just for the kids at school.

It was for Yuu as well, in order to protect himself from being hurt anymore.

"Aren't you scared of what the Shindo Corporation might do to you for defying them?" Asuramaru asked, sarcasm and disbelief in his voice.

"Yeah," Yuu admitted. "But..."

"But what?"

Yuu wasn't sure. His mind screamed this was to ensure Mika didn't fall under the same routine that consisted only of ignoring the fact he had nightmares about his past, ignoring the fact he was lost and alone, that he wanted to _disappear_. For Mika, this routine included his piano instead of his headphones, though the underlying theme was the same. But more than anything...?

"Hey, are you still there?" Asuramaru asked, head facing the door.

Yuu's eyes darted back and forth between the yellow lines on the tiled floor. Yuu was terrified by the thought that Mikaela could disappear from his life... he was terrified not only for Mika but for _himself_. His piano helped Yuu realize that he _wasn't_ alone, but _Mika_ let Yuu know there was someone he could trust to _understand_ , truly, how he felt, not only claim to and then leave him when convenient... When Yuu had told Mika about his nightmares, he hadn't needed any more explanation, only done everything he could to help... Who else had been so genuine with him, to understand exactly what he needed without him having to say it? "Because, I..." Mika always seemed to know what to do and say without Yuu saying anything. He wasn't afraid to ask what was wrong, but he didn't treat Yuu's past as something lightly either, unlike the others... What would Yuu do without _him_?

"I need him," Yuu muttered quietly, yet clear. "And because he needs me... I'll do anything... to save him..."

Asuramaru was silent, just stared through the door. Then there came a short chuckle. While Yuu reveled in this new realization, he heard Asuramaru stand up. "Here, I'll tell you what you want to know."

A gold, crimson sun rose over the horizon in the window down the hall, shining a new light upon Yuu, who smiled. He would succeed and bring Mika out of his personal hell, just as Mika had done for him. Seeing Mika's shining smile afterward, – like when Yuu had brought him out of the cold and into the orphanage, – so bright and so _real_ , would be enough for Yuu...

And just like that, Asuramaru waiting patiently on the opposite side of the door, Yuichiro realized.

 _Oh..._

He didn't just _need_ Mikaela. He _wanted_ to need him, and to be needed _by_ him.

 _Maybe that's what Shinoa and Mitsuba meant when they said..._ _I'm so deeply in love..._

* * *

 **~Niente~**

* * *

A rigid _tap, tap, tap_ against Mikaela's door echoed down the cold marble halls of the manor and around the walls of his room. The blond, sitting at the desk by his window, set his pen down, spun around to see the one who entered.

"Good evening, Young Master~" the butler sang, carrying a tray of food.

Mika tried not to let him know how on guard he was at once, but as Ferid came closer, his legs, shaking and twitching, acted on their own and he bolted out of his seat, already looking for the best way to run from the room if Ferid came too close. As the butler set the tray down on the long entrance table beside the door, he chuckled. "Oh, Mikaela, you don't need to be so scared. You've been a very good boy lately so there's no need for me to punish you. Understand?"

Mika couldn't move his lips to get the snarky reply roiling through his mind to come out. He was too afraid of how Ferid would react. All the other servants were too busy with after-dinner cleanup in the kitchen, on the other side of the mansion, to hear him scream if Ferid decided to...

"Now eat up, don't forget to put your tray outside when you're done." The butler left the room, that smirk painted as a thin line on his chin. Not until a few minutes after the door closed and Ferid's footsteps disappeared down the hall did Mikaela's breath and heartbeat slow. Clutching his shirt, willing his heartbeat to go back to normal, Mika glanced at the shining tray of silver on the entrance table. Once he was steady enough, he urged himself forward on shaky legs toward the tray of juicy food. Mikaela only stared down at it: the steak daubed in bubbling grease, the steamed vegetables on the side, all different colors. Its smell wafted up to his nose in swirls of delight, but the sense of it only made Mika's stomach churn. He wasn't hungry.

In fact, seeing the expensive meal only reminded him of what he was: the heir of the Shindo Family. No one else could afford a dinner so lavish every night. He hated the sight of it, how pretty the food was buttered up, as if outward appearances mattered more than the taste of the food itself. Mika gritted his teeth, picked up the silver tray and flipped its contents all onto the floor outside his room. Then he slammed his door shut and sunk his face in his hands, his body wracked with sobs.

 _Don't cry, don't cry... Not again... Don't be pathetic... Don't cry..._

His eyes watered but none of the tears slipped down his face. Mika lifted his head, wobbling back to the chair by his desk. He looked out upon his vast backyard as snow fell, all darkened, the rest of Tokyo only small glimmers of light in the distance.

Before the loneliness could set in, he took out his phone and the green pair of headphones he'd gotten Yuu for his birthday that he hadn't wanted, and drifted away to one of the pop songs he scolded Yuu for liking.

 _"I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing... Just pray to a god that I don't believe in..."_

Mika gave an ironic smile as the song continued, doing his best to focus only on the words he scribbled on the page beneath him, but he couldn't stop wondering, _"What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you? And... what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay?"_

 _I'm falling to pieces, I'm falling to pieces..._

* * *

 **I'm so nervous about this chapter asldjfgasdkf. Was it okay? I'm not good at romance; I'm just freaking out was it okay?! Was it OOC? Was it too sudden? Was it not developed enough? I just aah okay I'll wait for your feedback...**

 **I apologize to everyone for taking so long to write this chapter! School has been doing everything in its power to keep me away from writing, I swear. I've had four papers, college testing, a debate, and normal testing, quizzes, etc... but I'm still alive, somehow. As always, I didn't plan this at all until Yuu and Asuramaru were talking and then... Yuu accepted his crush! Huzzah! I hope this chapter was to your liking and I hope you'll stick with me even if updates take that long! ;;**

 **Please don't forget to leave your thoughts, I need them (badly)!**


	12. Dream Away

Chapter XII: **Dream Away**

* * *

"Yuu? Hey Yuu, are you still there? Yuu?!"

Yuichiro couldn't hear Asuramaru over the pounding of his own heart in his ears.

 _Me, deeply in love with... Mika...?_

The sun was up and shining only the barest of light on Yuu from the window across the hall from the custodian storage closet, but to Yuu it felt like he was in a sauna – his entire body was hot!

 _Is that what love means?_ Yuu wondered. _For someone to be there for you no matter what and to want to be there for them in return...?_ That was what Yuu felt for Mika, he couldn't deny it now, what with all the nightmares and the need to help Mika, but even so... was loving someone for that reason and being gay the same or different...?

"YUU! HEY! I'M STILL LOCKED IN THE CLOSET, YOU KNOW! GET BACK HERE! Y –!"

Asuramaru was throwing all his weight against the locked closet door, making it shudder dangerously every time. Yuu finally snapped back to reality. "Oh, yeah..." He reached over and unlocked the door right when Asuramaru was about to take a run at it again so that the door burst open upon impact; Asuramaru went flying across the tile floor.

"Asshole! That hurt!" Asuramaru cursed at him as he rubbed his rump and the shoulder he'd thrown against the door.

Yuu, still only half in it, blinked stupidly down at him. "Uh, sorry..." He offered the smaller teen a hand, which seemed to surprise him. Asuramaru looked away, unsettled. "What?" Yuu asked, peering at his hand to make sure there was nothing on it.

"I still haven't told you anything... Why did you let me out?" Asuramaru glanced at him with the crimson eye not covered by his violet hair.

"Oh, uh... You promised you would, so I figured there was no reason to keep you in there anymore," Yuu told him. (Though his true excuse after realizing how he felt about Mika was a sheepish, _I completely forgot._ ) "Anyway, you said you'd tell me what I want to know?" He could ruminate over what the meaning of gay was later. _Right now, I have to help Mika._

Asuramaru stood, brushing off his school uniform, which was identical to Yuu's except for the fact it was much smaller: white dress shirt topped with a red tie, cotton, beige over-shirt, brown shoes, and dark, navy pants and button-up jacket with the Hiiragi High insignia on the left breast. Yuu wore the tie around his neck loosely, and often kept the top of his jacket and white dress shirt unbuttoned, Asuramaru noted, but otherwise their uniforms were identical. He glanced toward the open end of the hall. The orange, rising sun was now half-covered by grey-cottony clouds. Yuu got the feeling Asuramaru was thinking of making a run for it so he didn't have to tell Yuu anything, and he swayed uneasily, trying to discern if he would be able to stop him. Eventually Asuramaru's gaze turned back toward Yuu, seeming to have cast the thought aside. "Looks like there'll be a snowstorm later on today."

"Yeah," Yuu agreed. "Or it might hail. It's been warmer lately."

"Listen, Yuu..." Asuramaru's put-out tone grabbed Yuichiro's attention at once. "I can tell, you care for this kid a lot..."

Without his control, Yuu's face heated up from just the small mention of his affections toward Mika. Asuramaru noticed at once and yelled, arms scrunched at his sides, "N-not in that way, you idiot!"

"Keep going," said Yuu, because it might well _actually_ be in "that way."

Asuramaru, now a little embarrassed, turned the other way as he crossed his arms. "Anyway," he mumbled, "it's obvious you really care about Mikaela, so I'd be willing to help you... retrieve him, or whatever."

Yuu's face lit up considerably, chest tightening in a rush of exhilaration. "You would?!" He'd been worried Asuramaru would still be closed up to him personally, even after agreeing to tell him anything.

Asuramaru tried to ignore the sheer vibrance of Yuu's green eyes, which caught the rays from the rising sun down the hallway just right, coloring his irises a light citrine. "B-but I want something from you in exchange," Asuramaru said hurriedly before Yuu could clap him on the back.

Yuu froze, took a half-step back out of Asuramaru's personal space. "And what's that?"

Asuramaru faced Yuu fully, hands hanging at his sides. "What's in it for me?"

Yuu thought about it. Asuramaru had mentioned he was in league with the servants' guard at the Shindo Manor. It made sense. Why _would_ he want to help Yuu? Yuichiro thought maybe should be more suspicious of Asuramaru's intentions, but... something told Yuu that the very fact Asuramaru asked Yuu directly what Yuu would do for him in return for helping Yuu find Mika was enough to trust him. So then... what did Yuu have to offer him that the Shindos did not...?

"...I'll be your friend," said Yuu.

"Wh-what?!" Again, Asuramaru's cheeks flushed a salty pink from that and he was taken aback – his arms jerking upward, exposed eye widening.

"I mean it," Yuu said. "If you help me retrieve Mika from the Shindos, I'll do anything you ask."

Asuramaru composed himself from that remark and muttered, "Doing anything someone asks and being someone's friend are two entirely different things..." He paused. "...So which is it?"

"Being someone's friend and doing anything for them can be kinda the same thing," refuted Yuu. "I'll do both."

Asuramaru blinked a few times, without words, still pink in the face. "You'll do anything? _Anything_ I ask...?"

Yuu nodded once. "Yep. Anything."

After a moment of scrutinization and disbelief, Asuramaru looked away. The blush in his face hadn't disappeared. "...Stupid."

Yuu chuckled a little. "But first," he said, directing one thumb at himself, "you have to help me."

"Okay..." Asuramaru nodded, arms still crossed. "But first... how are we supposed to get out of this locked school?"

"...Oh, uhm..."

After a moment of Yuu looking around unsurely, Asuramaru shouted at him, arms flailing in the air, "Did you really not think this all the way through?!"

"Hey, I wasn't expecting you tell me anything and was planning on being here until Monday!" Yuu shouted back at him.

"You didn't think I'd crack for that long?! What kind of crazy mental fortitude do you think I have?!"

"I didn't know!"

Asuramaru slapped a hand to his forehead. "Okay... fine... yes, okay... We'll look for a key in the main office." He led the way for them to rummage around the main office, only to find it was also locked. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Asuramaru bellowed, rapidly jiggling the handle – in vain. He whirled around, violet hair twirling with him. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" he accused, pointing at Yuu.

"Hold on, hold on, I'll call Guren," Yuu said, taking something out of his pocket.

"Call him?!" Asuramaru questioned. "With what?!"

"My cellphone."

"..."

Yuu brought the Apple iPhone to his cheek. "What?"

"YOU HAD A CELLPHONE THIS ENTIRE TIME AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!"

"HEY I HAD TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE WILLING TO TALK FIRST, OKAY?!"

"Uhg, just hurry up," Asuramaru grunted.

"I am," mumbled Yuu. Guren picked up after the fifth ring when Yuu's battery was at a 4% – having only been charged in the morning the day before. After much grumbling and profane language, the principal agreed to come get Yuu and Asuramaru out of the school. Then Yuu's phone died.

"I hope he hurries," said Yuu. "We need to get out of here to help Mika as soon as poss –"

"Yuu," Asuramaru interrupted him, resting a hand on the wrist holding Yuu's cellphone. Yuu looked at him, surprised. "Rushing things will only make it worse," Asuramaru said. "Trust me, we'll get him back safe and sound." He smiled at Yuu.

Yuichiro gave him a smile back, but it was half-hearted. He trusted that Asuramaru was there to help. However, trusting him to put Mika's safety and feelings above _anything_ else... was not something Yuichiro would easily do.

* * *

 **~Cadenza~**

* * *

Latin music had always been one of Mikaela's favorites, especially in hours of tiresome loneliness. Although classical music had its own charm of being able to convey feeling without the use of a human voice, Latin music mixed the qualities of both instrumental and vocal sounds without the meaning made entirely clear. The singers of Latin bands sounded something not of this world, – ethereal, – yet they carried so much weight and feeling all on their own, in perfect harmony with the orchestra and additional choir layered beneath...

The music raging war between his ears was nothing short of powerful, the last thing that reawakened him to reality and kept him feeling _something_ rather than _nothing_. Though Mikaela wished he could go back to that time before he felt anything at all. He had tried to play piano a few other times since that first night, but all attempts had gone with zero success. Each time he tried to play a song, the real world would always crash back into him – the feeling of being trapped, of knowing there was nothing he could do to change that fact... a kind of seclusion and inescapable loneliness and now, more than ever a deeply-rooted _fear_ that things would be stuck this way forever...

A sense of freedom is needed to effectively play any song, and Mika's pale, slender hands were rendered useless when he thought of these things; his fingers would cramp and he'd be hitting more wrong notes than right ones, nothing more than the melody of a crazed man. So Mikaela laid in his bed, hands over the green chrome headphones on his ears, tears seeping out the corners of his eyes, trickling silently down the sides of his face...

It was Yuu who first acknowledged Mika's pain. Yuu who helped Mikaela realize friends who only cared about business benefits and exorbitantly spent gifts were not friends at all. A family you fear and hide everything from – even your own emotions – is not a family at all.

 _Why?_ Mika cried out, his sobs growing louder, as was the music, though still only quiet gasps that resonated around the stony and marble concave ceiling and walls of his room at this time of early dawn. He opened cerulean eyes and saw only the wooden top of his fourposter bed above, warped by watery tears. _Why can't I have what everyone else seems to? A family and friends to trust and be true to...?_ Nothing more, nothing less...

All he had were his grades, his involvement in the company and eventual heir to the Shindo throne, the servants who treated him like livestock to be reared to perfection, willing to go any lengths to breed the pureblood hound they desired, one day wanting him to rule at the top as the tyrannical leaders his parents were now...

And he had Yuu.

Yuu, who hadn't given up on him. Yuu, who was his only real friend. Yuu, whom he missed more than his previous peace of mind, as if he was the only person Mika ever felt at home with, who was probably fretting over where he was at this very second, but...

 _There's nothing he can do,_ Mika knew.

Even if Yuu did, somehow, sneak into the mansion and try make off with him, Mika wouldn't go with him. He couldn't. The servants would follow them. They'd know where Mika was. They'd punish Yuu just as much or more greatly when they were caught. Whether that would include blackmail or worse... Mika didn't know. Nor did he want to find out.

Which was why he cried, harder, louder, rocking himself back and forth, cursing himself for every bit of it. The music was turned on the highest volume, yet all Mika could hear were the sounds of his own cries – and Yuu's if he couldn't get through this on his own. _I can't let them hurt Yuu the same way they've hurt me..._

No matter what, he had to bear this pain on his own. For Yuu's good.

Sometime later, the sun was up and the music only hindered in the process of driving Mika's sorrow away enough to sleep and welcome the black abyss of unconsciousness – blaring out his own thoughts so that he couldn't think at all. Mika turned it off, and eventually his sobs followed.

Clutching the green headphones close to his heart, Mika thought that color reminded him of the steady gaze he so desperately wanted to see.

But he wasn't allowing himself to look forward to the moment he would see Yuu again, for, Mika decided... it would be his final good-bye.

* * *

 **~En pressant~**

* * *

"Guren, I need your help," said Yuu the moment him and Asuramaru were let out of the school.

The grumpy principal was dressed in his pajamas under his winter coat and sighed, "What is it _now_?"

"Will you help me get Mika back?"

"And why would I do that when my superiors are the Hiiragi Family?" the principal asked him. "If they know I'm helping you, it'll be trouble not only for me but all my subordinates, and anyone else in affiliation with me. You know that, right?"

Yuu hadn't thought of that. "Yeah, I guess it makes sense... Could I borrow your phone then?"

Guren held it out to which Yuu snatched it up immediately and dialed Shinoa's phone number.

"Herrow? Who izzit...?" she slurred.

"Hmmm...?" a voice groaned in the background.

"Hey, c-could you two meet me at the school right away?" Yuu asked, blushing at hearing Mitsuba once again in the same bed.

"Sure," said Shinoa, "but Yuu, what for?"

"I need your guys' help with something. Please," he added.

A moment of hesitation later, – in which Yuu imagined the two girls squinting at each other in confusion and shrugging, – Shinoa answered. "...Sure, Yuu."

"Thanks." Yuu hung up and handed Guren's phone back to him.

Holding the phone to his chest, Guren smirked down at Yuu, knowing he was up to something dangerous – and probably illegal. "Just what are you planning, Yuu?"

With both Guren and Asuramaru watching him closely, Yuichiro shrugged. He gazed in the direction of the high-end residential area of Tokyo. "Just a little... intervention." _Don't worry, Mika, I'm coming..._

* * *

 **~Tutti~**

* * *

Mikaela was laying on his back, green headphones still in his hands, wearing white dress clothes from the business meetings his parents goaded him into attending the day before, when he heard a soft knock at his door. The hairs on Mikaela's back stood on end at once, and he sat upright on his bed, blond hair falling around his cheeks and the sides of his neck. Fixated upon the door, Mikaela waited as the curly, golden handle slowly turned, the springs inside the door's mechanism clicking with every centimeter. Finally, the door creaked open; Mika drew in a sharp breath.

Expecting to see silver hair, ruby eyes, and that cat-like grin, Mikaela stood and set the green headphones aside, hands balling into fists, trying to keep himself from trembling as much as possible. It wasn't working.

Much to Mika's relief, the person who appeared was someone he recognized too well. Blue eyes widened, inaudibly murmuring his name. "Yuu...?"

Seeing him, Yuichiro's scraggly raven head turned, and though he was shadowed, Mika knew when those green eyes locked onto him. The color of the chrome headphones couldn't even compare. In milliseconds, Yuu had crossed the room and was standing before Mika, his arms outstretched. "Mika, I'm here to get you out!"

To Yuu's astonishment, Mikaela stayed in place, shying away from his outstretched arms. "Yuu... How'd you get in here?!"

"Asuramaru helped us get in through a window," Yuu hastily informed, taking ahold of Mika's elbow and urging him forward. "Now, c'mon! I'll explain everything later –!"

Mika twisted out of Yuu's grip, to which Yuu reached for his elbow again, only to get the same response. Out of breath from running up the stairs and going room to room to find Mika, Yuu paused, taking in Mika's appearance. The sun was only barely reaching over the buildings located in Inner Tokyo, but in the orangish light, the lines and dark circles on Mika's face were accentuated perfectly enough to Yuichiro – he could tell it'd been nearly a month since their last meeting.

Mika, remaining stationary, trembled while on the verge of tears. He recited the speech he'd memorized before their meeting to explain why he couldn't go with Yuu, – saying it was for his own good, for both of their safeties, – but Yuu tuned out all of it. He had a feeling Mika would say such things, and he didn't care. He was going to take Mika away from here no matter what kind of excuses Mika – or anyone else – tried to come up with. This was only the first step in his grand plan to bring Mika to safety.

While Mikaela was talking however, Yuu's eye caught on to something... and suddenly, he could barely hear Mika's voice at all.

It took Yuu a full minute to gain the composure to organize his thoughts enough to speak. He _prayed_ he was wrong. "Mika..." he cut in, causing perplexity to cross Mika's forlorn features. Mika didn't understand why Yuu's face had gone so expressionless, his voice trembling as if with a deep rage. Until he figured out what it was Yuu was staring at; it dawned on Mika how careless he'd been. A hand flew up to his neck, covering the bruise marks Ferid had left on his skin. "It's nothing," he muttered quickly, face flushing a pale scarlet.

"It isn't nothing!" Yuu countered, taking Mika by the shoulders. He glared at the hand Mika used to cover the bruises with intense anger, then switched to Mika's face with concern, a certain hopelessness in his expression. "Who did that to you?!" Yuu demanded. His hands were like clamp-irons on Mika's shoulders, twitching with violence and despair at being unable to turn back time. "Was it that silver-haired bastard?! Tell me!"

Mika didn't answer, eyes staring fearfully at Yuu's, until he had to look away in shame.

Shinoa and Mitsuba had caught up with them, and waited on the other side of Mika's door, keeping watch. Mika was aware of this when he saw Shinoa's head peek into the room for a moment to see where they were.

Yuu pleaded, "Mika... _please_..." His voice startled Mikaela more than anything, forcing him to look back at Yuu, whose raven bangs shadowed his face. Yuu was trembling now, the anger drained from his body, his head bowed, almost touching Mika's chest, but not quite. Mikaela was trembling too, though he kept the bruise on his neck firmly covered. "I finally get to see you again," Yuu whispered, his voice quavering. _Please, don't..._ thought Mika, unable to bear the tone of his voice. "But now... What have they been doing to you...?" Yuu looked at him again, their faces inches apart. Only sorrow lined those emerald eyes, and Mika couldn't stand it. "Please, you have to come with me –"

"I can't do that!" Mika yelled harshly, turning his face away, unshed tears in his eyes. "It'll put both of us in danger! I can't let you get hurt for being my friend, okay?! I can't let you!"

"Sure, I might get hurt, but I don't care about that!" Yuu yelled back, furiously shaking his head. "You're in danger _right now_ , Mika! Let me _help_ you!"

Mikaela watched him for a moment. A few tears escaped down his cheeks as he lowered his head and bit his lip. "Let you help me...?" he muttered, fingers tightening around the bruises on his neck. "Don't you know... it's hopeless... There's nothing _anyone_ can do... to help me... Besides, I'm not worth it." Those tired, cerulean eyes watched Yuu with a hopeless gleam, Mika's mouth curved into an ironic smile. "I'm just a spoiled rich kid."

It crushed Yuichiro to hear Mika say such words, when Mika was nothing like the other rich kids at Hiiragi High who assured Yuu with such nonchalance that everything would get better, waving him off rather than accepting him in the moment. Only Mika had validated the nightmares about his past enough for him to feel some kind of closure. "It isn't hopeless, Mika," Yuu insisted. " _Please_ don't shoulder this burden on your own. _I want to help you!_ "

"It _is_ hopeless!" Mika shouted in his face, flustered. "Why do you keep pushing this, something that is never going to happen?! Why do you keep pretending to care so much when you shouldn't?!"

"No it _isn't_ hopeless, you idiot!" Yuu reprimanded, shaking his head again. "Even if it was hopeless, I'd help you no matter what! 'Cause you're –!"

Mikaela paused, watching Yuu, the sun creeping higher into the sky, illuminating the room around them to be brighter and more colorful.

Determined to get through to him, Yuu answered without restraint on his words. "...Because you're the most important person to me in this world, Mika," he said, solemnly, releasing Mika's shoulders. He reached for the hand at Mika's side, then the other hiding the scars on his neck. Slowly clasping Mika's hands in his, Yuu brought their hands between them. Blushing, Mika looked down as Yuu interlinked their fingers, leaving him breathless. "The day I heard you playing piano in the music room," Yuu went on, Mika blushing more from the tender sincerity in his voice, "I thought I was all alone... but it sounded like you were too. You needed a friend. You needed me. And for that reason... I gained a new purpose in living than just trying to forget my past. A new purpose in life." Yuu swallowed. "And for that, I.. _."_ Yuu looked up and saw Mika watching him with such awe and intensity in those cerulean eyes that he was rendered unable to continue. "Please... let me do the same for you in return," he whispered.

The tears in Mika's eyes lingered but they were no longer tears of sadness. There was the faintest of smiles on his face and in his eyes. "You already have."

Yuichiro's face heated up even more, and he found their gazes deadlocked – both waiting, but neither thinking to move...

"Yuu! Someone's coming!" Shinoa warned, shattering the moment.

Mika hissed, "Shit!" as both of the girls turned tail and ran down the hall. By the time Yuichiro and Mikaela let go hands and reached the door, the footsteps were too close to get away unseen. "Hide in the bathroom!" Mika ordered, pushing Yuu toward it.

"What about you?!"

"Hurry up!" Mika whispered ferociously.

Yuu did as he was told, hiding in the shower of the bathroom with his back pressed against the ornately-tiled wall.

When he heard the door swing open, it was heavy steps that fell against the carpet. "Young Master Mikaela, what are you doing up at this time of morning? I thought I heard you talking to someone."

As Ferid entered the room, Mika stayed half-blocking the door to the bathroom, doing his best to look ordinary and stay calm. "What do you mean?" _I can't let Ferid know Yuu is here. I have to protect Yuu..._

Ferid smirked at Mika, seeing there was once again defiance in those eyes – defiance meant he still had hope, something Ferid craved to extinguish. "By the way, Young Master, did anyone ever punish you for throwing your dinner all over the hallway last night?"

Yuu heard steps move toward the bathroom and then there was a short shuffle, followed by a small squeak from Mikaela's lips right on the other side of the wall. Shivers wracked Yuu's body, utterly afraid of the position he would see Mika, whom he cared for so deeply, with Ferid, the lecherous butler, Ferid's teeth piercing his skin. Even in his current situation however, Mikaela could only think to himself, _Yuu, run! This is your perfect chance! While he's distracted!_

Yuu was about to charge out with a weapon in hand when trotting steps echoed down the hallway and burst through the door. Ferid leaned away from Mikaela at once, but his act didn't get past the pink-haired mistress, who stood in the doorway. "Traitor!" she cried. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"My, my, the queen of the household come to save her obedient little pet. I could not have foretold this myself~" Ferid sang.

"I told you to keep your fucking hands off of him!" she yelled, marching up to Ferid with a finger raised toward his face. "If you dare to touch him again –"

"It's no fair that you get to have all the fun," Ferid muttered darkly. "I'm a servant of this household too. I deserve some share of the benefits."

"I don't care what you think you deserve," Krul hissed, her crimson eyes shining, brows clenched, "you're my underling, which means you have to do as I say."

Mika, panting and clutching his neck, with his back still against the wall adjacent to the bathroom, bore witness as Ferid took a swipe at Krul, who dodged, kneeing him in the shin. With him down, Yuu emerged from the bathroom. Krul glared at him but heard the feet of more servants rushing down the hallway, and by the haste in their steps, something told her they weren't on her side. She turned where Mika sat against the wall. "Mika, take Yuu and get out of here!"

He croaked out, "Wh-what?!"

Ferid rose and came behind Krul, taking hold of her shoulders with his strong arms, while Yuu, only half-stunned, took Mika by the hand. "C'mon, Mika!"

Ferid clawed at Yuu's shirt as they ran the opposite direction of where the footsteps were coming from, Mika still stunned too much to resist or say anything. They descended the back staircase to the first floor, where Yuu directed them to where Asuramaru waited at the window in one of the storage rooms. Shinoa and Mitsuba were there waiting too. "Hurry, Yuu!" Shinoa urged.

"They're coming!" Mitsuba whispered frantically.

"Right, coming!" Yuu answered.

Both girls leapt out the five-foot drop first, then Yuu and Mika, Asuramaru waiting until everyone was else was out to shut the window. When Mika turned around, he was surprised to see Yoichi and Shiho standing behind them as well. "They kept watch to make sure no guards saw us on the grounds," Yuu said to answer the question on Mika's lips. "Now we gotta go – _RUN_!"

The seven teens booked it over the fence and off the Shindo property as fast as possible. Only once they'd reached Inner Tokyo did they slow down, and then, stopped and dry-heaving at a stoplight, they grinned and gave each other high-fives. "Man, that was really close!" Yuu exclaimed.

"You're telling me!" Shiho chuckled. "Yoichi and I had to dive into the bushes at least ten times waiting for you guys!"

"It wouldn't have been as big a deal if you guys had done as I told you to stay in the bushes to begin with!" Asuramaru yelled at them.

"Brat," muttered Shiho.

Asuramaru glared at him so darkly that even Yoichi backed away.

Shinoa came forward. "Yuu, what happened up there that took you guys so long?"

Yuu and Mika glanced at each other. As he did, Yuu saw the fresh teeth marks on Mika's skin and remembered the squeak he'd heard while in the bathroom...

"Yuu, where are we going?" Mika asked, distracting him from Shinoa's question and the pain it brought him. "You know they'll find us, wherever we go. Unless we run away from here forever." Something in his eyes said _It's not your fault,_ but still Yuichiro couldn't forgive himself for not acting sooner.

"Yeah, I know, I know," assured Yuu, recalling the conversation he'd heard between the butler, – who made Yuu's skin crawl, – and head of the servants. Eventually, he said, "But... something tells me we have some time."

The others cocked their heads at that, but Mika understood. He knew too. Something in the Shindo Manor had been set in motion, an internal struggle caused by them. It could have major repercussions on the everyday lives of other citizens in Japan, especially if this tipped the balance between the Shindos and the Hiiragis.

At that moment, Yuichiro fell on his knees. His back hit the side of the building they were closest to, overtaken by a sudden wooziness. His hands flew to his right side as he grunted in pain.

"Yuu?!" Mika cried, grabbing onto his arms and crouching beside him.

"He's bleeding?!" said Shiho's voice, already so far away.

"Someone call an ambulance!" said Shinoa.

Mika continued to call his name, shaking him. "Yuu?! Yuu?!"

The last thing Yuichiro saw before he blacked out were those beautiful cerulean orbs that seemed to hold all the weight and wisdom in the world, not the fright on Mika's face. His voice singing Yuu's name over and over let Yuu know his wish to have Mika at his side forever was only a dream away... or was it a nightmare?

* * *

 **Getting Mika out of the Shindo Manor was such a task with all the buildup I've given it.** **I still haven't made many decisions regarding what to do with the outcome of this story, only for more fluff because I'm always a slut for fluff. (Thank you for that phrase btw, Mel.)**

 **Though seriously, I gotta say… thank you so much for all your kind words! \\(*o*\\) I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but I do really hope you'll continue to read and enjoy the story as it progresses! Now I would like to reply to my many anon reviewers:**

* * *

 **To Mr. Shade, you were definitely correct about Yuu being the knight that stands ready upon the drawbridge of the castle! (Though I'm not planning Mika's escape from the Shindo Manor as this being the climax of the story of course~)**

 **To AngryDreamer, of course the story is unrealistic, it is fanfiction after all! Still, I try to make it as realistic as possible so there's at least some relation… I hope the fantasy part of it isn't too overboard? I totally understand the feeling of being in blissful pain with stories, especially MikaYuu! I'm so happy mine has been able to do that for you! (Though also, I'm sorry?)**

 **To SpiritLizard, trash (I'd have the same anon name, I understand), and other Guests, I feel you,** _ **Breakeven**_ **is a pretty good song~ I'm glad you like the story! Misty, yas, MikaYuu is our lord and savior, even though it crushes my heart every chapter. :')**

 **Also to Chungdoo, who has an account but doesn't allow PMs, I wanted to thank you too! I'm really glad you like the pace of the story and that the premise, though you had doubts, has proved interesting! I've been doing my best to make sure the plot doesn't move at lightning speed while also not dragging its feet… There's gotta be a good balance for it to be effective, at least in my opinion. I hope that the drama added between Ferid and Krul was to your liking when you said you wanted more regarding the actual institutional situation Mika finds himself in? :3**

* * *

 **Aah, this got long. Once again, thank you all for all of your support!** **It's been really fun discussing this AU with other fans, especially since I never thought it would come as far as it has!** **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you'll leave me your opinions! They really do help me shape the story, no matter how long or short~**


	13. Stop and Stare

Chapter XIII: **Stop and Stare**

* * *

Nurses rushed Yuu down the emergency hallway with his friends following. Mika recognized the lacerations uncovered on his right side immediately from his own experiences with Ferid. When Ferid had reached for Yuu as they escaped, he must have caught hold of Yuu hard enough to leave the gruesome marks.

In the emergency room, the nurses worked precisely sewing up the wounds. Mika watched them for as long as he could bear it, before they pulled the curtain and he collapsed on the bench outside. Yoichi, Shiho, Shinoa, and Mitsuba saw his distress and attempted words of comfort, but Mika only nodded to them with a lost look, giving short, barely audible replies.

The amount of blood loss that caused Yuu to pass out was due only to the large surface area of the injury, not the depth, the doctor told Mika and the Shinoa Squad outside the operation room once it was over, saying Yuu would be just fine. He then transferred Yuu to a patient's room, not being in fatal condition. While Shiho paced, Yoichi stood, and Shinoa and Mitsuba sat on a bench, Mika held his head in his hands on the bench opposite them until the Director of the Hyakuya Orphanage arrived with Akane.

Mika stood at once, ready to apologize, but seeing the fear and guilt on his face the Director held up a hand, smiling warmly. She offered her hand to him.

Mika looked at it, a question in his darkly lined eyes.

"Let's _all_ go back to the orphanage once this is over, all right?" she answered.

Mika's lips were taut as tears flooded into his eyes. He nodded, an arm flying to his face before they could spill down his cheeks from her generous proposition. Akane approached Mika and wrapped an arm around his trembling shoulders as the Director bowed her head. Having seen many children throughout her years working at the Hyakuya Orphanage, she knew with time Mikaela Shindo would certainly fit in with them, just as Yuichiro had.

The remaining Shinoa Squad members left soon after, so the doctor and nurses let the Director, Akane, and Mika into Yuu's room, being the closest Yuu had to a family with his real parents dead or behind bars, and no siblings to speak of.

Yuu awoke groaning in pain as he sat up in the hospital bed from the stitches in his side. Akane immediately jumped on him, then leaned back and scolded him for not coming home right after school, then jumped on him again with tears in her eyes, weeping about how worried everyone was. While hugging her, trying not to yelp in pain, Yuu noticed Mika standing by the door with his back against the wall, not saying a word. Before he could ask Mika how he was faring, the doctor came in to give Yuu his operation report.

"I definitely don't want to stay here for the night if that's what you're saying," Yuu said airily once the doctor had told him he should "take it easy," but he was already getting tired again.

"We'll go check you out," the Director said hurriedly before the doctor could interject. She bowed to him. "Thank you for saving my foster son."

Akane and Mika stayed in Yuu's room, though he was too tired to talk to either of them, let alone stay conscious. He hadn't slept much the night before, having been in the school with Asuramaru and then he'd gotten injured. It was to be expected. By the time they left it was nearly dawn again, and Yuu had to ask Mikaela to help him walk down the front steps and into the Director's car. With most of Yuu's weight leaning on him, Mika felt how weak he was. Mika's stomach lurched with new wave of guilt. _This is all my fault..._

Standing before the Hyakuya Orphanage's white, stone entrance, Mika helped Yuu in and up the stairs. Once at his room, Akane and the Director insisted Mikaela had done enough and basically locked him out while they changed the exhausted Yuu. Mika wanted on the ground floor, wandering through the dining room, kitchen, and den. It didn't look much different from the last time he was there only a month ago, before Christmas. When he came to the storage room where the old upright piano sat uncovered, he only stared. Eventually the Director's soft footsteps came down the stairs.

"Yuichiro and just about everyone else are asleep now," she said in a hushed voice, across from him by the dining room table. "I'll get you some blankets to –"

"Wait, please." Mika stopped her, his voice cracked from worrying all day and night. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have gone with Yuu, I should have told him to leave before he got hurt, I..." He gritted his teeth, unable to say any more.

"Don't be ridiculous, dear," the Director said, waving one hand. "Yuichiro helped you because he wanted to. I'm sure he knew what the risks were. None of this is your fault."

Mika looked to the side, feeling tears in his eyes again. "B-but I went with him... He got hurt... because of me."

"No, not because of you," the Director corrected, making Mikaela look at her, confused. "Because of the people you lived with."

Mikaela took notice of how she used the past tense for _lived_ , as if his dealings with the Shindo servants would never come to pass again.

He couldn't be so sure.

"I'll go get you some blankets, and then you can decide whether you want to sleep on the couch or in Yuichiro's room. How about that?"

Mikaela didn't reply, his eyes on his toes atop the puffy, carpeted floor. He only glanced back into the darkened storage room, where the lightly-wooded piano patiently awaited him.

* * *

 **~Duet~**

* * *

When Yuichiro awoke, it was to the sound of quiescent piano notes. Sitting up in bed, he groaned at the stabs of pain in his right side, his vision scattering with black dots. But the soft, gentle, tones pulled Yuu out of bed, guiding his wobbly steps down the stairs. He spotted the pile of blankets and pillow laying amongst the clothes all about the floor before he went, sure to avoid the creaky portions at the top so as not to alert the player and disrupt the song.

This piece was quite a few steps down from the other difficult and relentless songs Yuu had heard Mikaela play before. Quiet and slow, it sounded like something out of a music box, reminding him of a time ancient and far away...

Mika's pale hands crawled across the keyboard at a languid tempo, creeping a little higher, then a little lower, distant and mournful. Repeating that progression again, just a little bolder. The scene of a mansion, full of dust and old furniture, came into view. Then the notes were faster, with chords that sang out loudly in juxtaposition to the rest of the song. The notes danced across the keyboard at a similar progression to before, yet slightly different, more meaningful, more dramatic, with a joyful, yet sad inner voice that became louder, the mansion no longer empty, but full of lost memories, until it dropped. All was slow and quiet and mournful again, lost to a time long ago...

It was early morning and everyone else was still asleep, so when Yuu said, "That was really pretty," from the doorway of the storage room, Mikaela leapt nearly three feet in the air, whirling around.

"Jeez, Yuu, what the hell was that for?!" he burst, turning back to the piano, glaring at him from the corner of one eye. The storage room, usually dark, was now lit in a musty, golden glow from the dusty lamps inside, reflecting off of the other unused glass cupboards, antique chairs, and other items such as old radios and record players. All of which only complemented the color of Mikaela's gold hair to Yuu.

Walking slowly into the room, Yuu murmured, "I just wanted to tell you what I thought, I couldn't help it..."

"I haven't been able to play piano since..." When Mika saw how Yuu tensed with every step, his hand stuck like a vice to his right side, Mika trailed off. He looked away in shame.

"Since?" Yuu pushed, now beside the piano.

"Since I was last here," mumbled Mikaela.

"Oh. Well, you always know I like hearing you play. What was the name of that song?"

"Uh..." Mika hesitated, folding his hands in his lap. "Actually... it was a song I wrote myself a long time ago... called _Fade Away_..."

"Really? You should write stuff more often!"

Mikaela felt his cheeks warm at the honesty in Yuu's tone and kept himself facing the piano keys.

Yuu noticed how Mika was avoiding him. "Would you mind playing something else for me?" he prompted.

Mika still didn't look at him. "Like what?"

"I dunno, whatever you feel like..."

Mika brought his hands back to the keys and started another slower, music box-like song, but this time with a faster rhythm and lower notes. It had a similar air; on the surface, full of a stark curiosity, while underneath, haunted by a deep regret and willfulness that Yuichiro couldn't understand, more hidden than he realized. A question led into the next section, where Mikaela's hands wondering became thoughtful, pondering _what could be the answer? what is that I don't understand?_ but this was ended by loud, grand chords, knowing there was nothing more to be done, and merely accepting the eternal questions of _what?_ and _why?_

The first rhythm returned now, but this time with more meaning, – having heard the second section of accepting ignorance, – with its curiosity coating the willful regret. The end of the song came with the same progression downward toward the question, except that it turned out to be surprisingly cheerful, if also slightly unsure.

Mika's hands slowly lifted off of the black and white keys. He only stared at them in his lap.

"...What song was that?"

Mika's lips barely moved. " _Silver-Haired Lullaby_ by Yoshihiro Hirano..."

Yuu wanted to say something to make Mika come back to him, to just be happy with the fact he was no longer in the Shindo Manor for right now and not worry about the future just yet, but Mika spoke first, beating him to it. "Yuu... I'm sorry," he muttered, keeping his head down.

"For what?" Yuu asked quietly.

Mika rolled his head a little as if the answer was obvious – though there was also a sob masked in his voice. "For getting you hurt," he whispered.

"This?" Yuu looked down to where his hand clutched his aching side and winced a little. Hoping Mika hadn't seen, he assured, "I'm fine. It's nothing."

"No," said Mika, suddenly looking over with fear in his eyes, "It isn't nothing! I really shouldn't have –!" He cut himself off, gaze once again on the piano, and bit his lip so hard he drew blood. The iron taste oozed into his mouth.

With the musty light playing off of Mika's face and hair, contrasted to the drab colors of the room, his eyes looked even bluer than usual, every touch of anguish made perfectly visible. Yuu couldn't imagine what was going through Mika's mind right now, nor could he sense the wound Mika had inflicted on himself, having given no reaction. What Yuu could see were the purple-reddish bruises on Mika's neck, the glimpses of those Mika hid on his arms. Yuu said steadily, "Mika, I didn't get you out of there for no reason. You think this bothers me at all," – he gestured to his right side, – "knowing you're safe?"

Mika shrugged. "...I don't know, but –"

"But what?" Yuu shot back at him, getting exasperated and downright annoyed. "What is it going to take for you to realize that I don't care, because I love you –?!"

Yuu caught himself too late. Those blue eyes were on him, watching his every move, Yuu's face now a deep shade of pink. He hadn't meant to say it like that – or at all – and couldn't help but correct himself in an increasingly small voice, eyes locked on Mika's, "C-care about you... I meant care about you..."

Those blue orbs, watching him with a disbelieving quality, disappeared again the moment Mikaela turned back toward the piano. "Oh..."

Yuichiro's mind was running in a thousand different directions, unable to tell if he'd just made a huge mistake or caught himself before he messed up everything. Despite how he felt about Mika, he didn't want Mika to think he was only doing this out of some shallow feelings for his "high school crush." When Mika was in the room Yuu's mind wandered into frivolous scenarios, and his stomach did strange things that he admittedly liked, though he didn't understand why he liked them. But more than that, Yuu cared about Mika as a person and wanted him to be happy. Even if that meant Yuu having to embrace his own loneliness without him, if Mika rejected Yuu's feelings, as long as he didn't go back to the Shindos… If Mika would rather not stay at the Hyakuya Orphanage, then Yuu would have to respect that decision.

Mikaela's fingers traced the piano keys. He picked up the melody of a song Yuu was sure he'd heard before, – a popular song with only a few chords as accompaniment, – but he couldn't remember what. He didn't care what. Seeing how Mika was avoiding him, Yuu figured his conjecture was right. Dejected, he turned to leave.

At the doorway to the storage room, Yuu turned around, stopped and stared at Mikaela's back... He was slouching except that his arms moved rhythmically to the music produced from within the twangy upright piano. Yuu knew, when he'd watched Mika's back as he played before, the entire room had been bursting with the energy he used to write stories, the air as his paper, the piano and his hands as ink and pen. Mikaela's musical talent had been able to best any sorrow Yuu might feel later at home; he'd conveyed such meaning to Yuu through that medium that Yuu felt he knew Mika better than any other.

But now, the only meaning Yuu felt from Mikaela's enervated movement was his dread, his _fear_.

 _Fear of what?_ Yuu wondered. _The Shindos?_

Or... was it something deeper than that? A fear that...

 _Things will stay this way... forever..._

Yuu had been possessed by that fear himself and ignored it not too long ago. Until the day he heard Mikaela's song... then Yuu no longer feared he would remain alone... and unloved. He _knew_ it would get better, because Mika had given him hope that someone would understand one day...

...But why did it always have to stay the elusive " _one day_ "?

Mikaela, too deeply focused on the heavy chords he played, jolted when a hand rested on his shoulder, spinning him around. He cussed, " _Goddammit_ , Yuu, what're you –?!" As Mika turned in his fury, rough lips brushed softly against his.

When Yuu pulled away, hand still on Mika's shoulder, Mika was frozen.

Then the embarrassment set in. The longer Mika looked at Yuu that way, the more Yuu realized what he'd just done. His face heated up more with each passing second. He hadn't meant to _kiss_ Mikaela! But then his body seemed to have acted on its own, and now there was nothing he could do to turn back what he'd just done!

"Wh...?!" Mika stuttered, his face entirely red, deep confusion in his eyes.

Worried he'd gone completely out of line and Mika would push him away, cursing Yuu until the end of time, instead Mikaela just stared at him, unable to utter a word, lips opening and closing, his eyes darting between Yuu's eyes and mouth. By this point Yuichiro was going crazy, his brain about to combust, needing Mika to say something. He murmured in a shaky voice, "H-hey, yo... you'd tell me if you didn't like it, right?"

Slowly, Mikaela's mouth closed. He nodded, eyes still wide and on Yuu. "Yeah, uhm... c-could we... try that again...?"

Yuichiro felt a rose blossom of warmth erupt in his chest at Mika's words. He was reluctant, but despite the aches he experienced from bending over to reach Mika who sat on the piano bench, he slowly brought a hand to Mikaela's face. They stared at each other – breaths increasing, cheeks steaming up more than they already were. Mika stood and his hands found Yuu's waist, the reassuring pressure giving Yuu the confidence to enjoin his hands behind Mika's back. They were so close their noses and foreheads rubbed with every intake of breath, so that Yuu and Mikaela only had to twist their necks slightly to angle their next kiss. This time Mikaela shared it, his arms squeezing Yuu closer to him, both attempting to control their respiration and yet failing horribly. Yuu's hands uncrumpled and pressed against Mika's back, until they had to pull apart, gasping a little – neither well-practiced in the art, being the other's first true love.

Mika's arms remained around Yuu's waist, keeping their bodies close together, and before Yuu was ready, he kissed Yuu softly on the lips again – then on the cheek, and on the chin. Yuu giggled a little in surprise, not used to the treatment – but definitely not complaining. When Mikaela aimed the next kiss for Yuu's neck, he tried to lift Yuu's feet off the ground, though he found himself backing into the piano keyboard and made an agitated _bang_. "Oops," laughed Mika, dropping Yuu's feet back to the ground and glancing back at the ancient thing. Yuu laughed, his lips claiming Mika's again the moment he turned back around, before he could realize, this time more passionately, his hands having found Mikaela's head, fingers twisting in his blond hair, his mouth open on Mika's lips.

Surprised, Mika tried to push him back, but Yuu had already gained the upper hand, so Mika tried to use his mouth instead. Yuu was ready and pushed his tongue into Mika's mouth, given full and open access. " _Mmf..._ " With Yuu's tongue coiling around his, Mika was surprised by the sound of his own voice, breathless, defiant, but also a touch submissive. Stuck leaning against the piano, the keys occasionally pressed in a dissonant tremor of tones.

Neither of them cared.

Forced to pull away for air again, panting and standing so close together, a small string of saliva momentarily connected them. Between breaths, Yuu grinned. After a moment of hesitation, Mika smiled too.

Yuu laughed, at a loss for words. _This gay enough yet?_ his mind rang. "I-I didn't think you liked me," he mumbled honestly, "especially after what I said in the bathroom..."

Mikaela's eyes softened, eyebrows turning up. "Oh Yuu, what could have _possibly_ made you think that~?" His voice was sarcastic and joking, but there was something else too, lacing the question as an honest intrigue.

Yuu laughed and blushed again, his forehead bumping into Mika's, who also blushed like an idiot.

They stayed that way until Yuu had to break their embrace, clutching his side. "Ow, ow, ow..."

"You should have stayed in bed!" Mika chastised, taking Yuu's arm around his shoulder.

"Yeah, probably..." he grunted. Just a few moments ago, he hadn't felt his injury at all anyway. As Mika helped him to the stairs, he thought in secret, _Totally worth it._

As they left the light brown piano open and against the wall, its ebony and ivory keys shared in the room's golden afterglow.

* * *

 **~Fantasia~**

* * *

"I was surprised to see you two up so early," commented the Director as breakfast with the orphans was served at the table in the kitchen that morning. Handing Kouta the last plate of bacon and eggs, she sat down at the head of the table herself. "Usually you sleep until after noon, Yuichiro. And I would have assumed so with your injury. What were you two doing?"

Yuichiro, about to shove an entire cooked egg down his throat, and Mikaela, holding a piece of butter and jam toast to his mouth, paused. They glanced at each other, then quickly glanced away, trying not to blush as they continued to eat. Yuu spoke up, though his voice was shaky. "Uhh, we were just... you know..." He winced suddenly from the pain in his right side, and Mika was on him at once, a hand on his shoulder.

"Yuu! I told you not to push yourself!"

"I know, I know..."

The Director blinked at their awkward and touchy behavior – as did Akane and Chihiro, the others too focused on scarfing down their food and squabbling with each other. "I was thinking," the Director said, waving it off, "today we could go out shopping."

Yuu and Mika looked up at her. "Shopping?"

"Yes, since Mikaela's been wearing the same clothes."

Yuu started to say, "That's fine, he can just wear my clothes –"

Akane interrupted in a plain voice, not looking at him, "No one wants to wear your gross band clothes that haven't been washed in eons, Yuu." She was already in her school uniform, brown hair parted to one side – though it was Sunday.

"They aren't gross!" Yuu countered, scooping up another egg audaciously. "They're just, an acquired – _nhg_ , taste...!" He dropped his eating utensils and cringed again, folding in on himself.

" _Yuu!_ " said Mika sharply.

"I knowwww... _ow_..."

The Director might be fooled but Akane understood fully well what was going on – Chihiro still questioning, given no indication from either party that it was just her seeing this. Standing from the table, she thanked her foster mother for the breakfast and headed for the door. "Some friends and I are going to the mall and I promised to meet them early, so I'll be off."

"Good-bye, Akane dear!"

"See you!" she called as she shut the door behind her.

"Jeez why's _she_ in such a sour mood...?" Yuu grunted.

The Director seemed to have noticed too. "I'm not sure..."

Mikaela, Chihiro, and the other orphans also watched her leave. Turning back to Yuu and Mika, – who were sitting _awfully_ close together, – Chihiro recalled their fidgety behavior when the Director asked what they'd been doing up that morning. She had something to figure out.

* * *

 **~Verismo~**

* * *

"And so, that's how it is, Masters," finished Ferid, giving a graceful bow, a gloved hand brought to his opposite side. "The head of your servants is nothing but a con-woman looking for her own benefit by using Young Master Mikaela's weaknesses to slowly pick apart his mind and hope to one day gain control over the company herself."

"That's a filthy lie!" Krul countered, pointing at him with one long, pink claw. "This bastard is one who's only looking for his own benefit, tormenting your son only for his own personal enjoyment –!"

"That's enough," said a low voice from one of the large screens in the main office of the Shindo Manor, covered all in wood. Both Ferid and Krul waited in silence.

"We couldn't care less _how_ you discipline our son," said a female voice beside the first, "as long as he's ready to take over the company when we're gone. The fact is, right now, he's nowhere near that. You let him escape. What kind of excuse do you have for such an act? I'd love to hear it."

The butler and head of the servants exchanged looks of disgust with the other. "There is none," stated Krul.

"Then that's that," said the male voice. "We have to ensure the Hiiragi Family doesn't sense the disorder in the Shindo Family, or else they might use this opportunity to pull something off on the Shindo Corporation. Retrieve our son, together or not, or else I will personally ensure this is the end of both of your careers. Are we understood?"

"Yes, sir," said Krul.

"Of course, Masters."

The male voice said, "Then that is all."

The call disconnected and Krul shot Ferid a glare at his carefree tone of voice at the end.

"What~?" Ferid inquired. "You heard them. They don't care _how_ we prepare him, just that we do."

"Don't you dare act like you're innocent in all of this," Krul spat, stalking toward the large doors of the wooded main office, high heels clicking against the floor.

"Oh no? And what about you? Making orders like 'only I'm allowed to touch him'? That had to be the most selfish of all, and here you are acting like it was me who crossed a line."

"Because you did cross a line!" Krul yelled shrilly, throwing her arms up, long nails pointed at his throat. "At least I didn't go overboard! And whether or not I did, you should have obeyed my orders! I was trying to protect him from this very thing!"

Ferid chuckled, barely threatened by her. "The fact is you used physical force with him as well, and here you go talking about morality. What excuse can you have for that?"

Krul withdrew from him, the long sleeves of her uniform swishing around her wrists. "I don't have to justify anything to you. I did what I had to in order to maintain my position. You, on the other hand, aren't aiming for anything at all except your own twisted, sadistic enjoyment, aren't you?"

In the doorway, Ferid shrugged at her. "Only time will tell, Lady Tepes. Only time will tell..."

She turned around, not allowing him to earn another glare. "...Dispatch the guards. I'm sure I can bet where Mika is now."

Ferid licked his lips, falling in step behind her. "That's right. He can't hide from us in that orphanage forever..."

* * *

 **~Aria~**

* * *

"Your foster mom really doesn't have to buy clothes for me," said Mika, standing with his hands full of shirt hangers and held out in front of him as Yuu dug around the hangers at the store to find something for Mika to wear. "I mean, I don't want to cause anyone any trouble –"

"Oh Mika, she didn't offer to buy you clothes because she feels like she has to," said Yuu. "She wants to buy clothes for you." Pulling out a bright red turtleneck, Yuu handed it to Mikaela. "Besides, she's your foster mother now too."

Mika blushed at the sincerity in Yuu's bright eyes as he smiled, giving Mika the ugly shirt. Then he looked away. When he did, Yuu caught a glimpse of the bruises on his neck.

Yuu sighed a little, willing the anger down, and put a hand on Mika's shoulder. "I mean it, Mika."

Mika looked at him, his eyes flashing with a hesitant mistrust, then – worry? "Uh, Yuu –"

"What?" Yuu was leaning close to Mika, but Mika stayed in place, staring at him. Finally Yuu realized Mika wasn't actually staring at him, but behind him. He spun around.

Chihiro had crossed the store to the section they were the moment Yuu looked around, hastily stepping back from Mika. "The Director wants you, Yuu," she said, taking Yuu's arm and starting to pull him away.

"Wha –?" Yuu looked back at Mikaela. "But I haven't gotten Mika any pants yet –!"

"He can find them on his own – he'll be fine!" said Chihiro without looking back.

When they'd reached a place behind a pillar in the store where neither Mika nor the Director and other orphans could see, Chihiro stopped, flipping her head and black hair cut in a bob around her glasses and ears. Her skirt swayed around the stockings on her legs.

"H-hey, what's this about?" said Yuu, rubbing his arm where she'd gripped him – rather hard, too.

"What's going on, Yuu?" she demanded, though not in a harsh way. Her onyx eyes burned with anticipation and curiosity, greedy for some information or kind of clue.

"What do you mean ' _What's going on_ '?" Yuu asked her, deflated.

Chihiro's curiosity gave way for her to give Yuu an unamused, pointed look above the silver rim of her glasses, to which Yuu tried to give her an equally unamused and pointed look back.

When that didn't work, Yuu said loudly, "What is it with you and Akane today?! Both of you are acting so weird!"

"What is it with _you and Mikaela_ today?" she shot back.

Yuu saw a slight smirk behind the curiosity replaced in her eyes. He blinked at her. "What about us?"

Chihiro put a hand to her chin, brow furrowing, as if contemplating hard. "Oh gee, I dunno – trying to save him from his family, always hanging out with him after school, doing reckless things to save him, like locking another student in a closet..."

"Since when did you become such a Shinoa?" Yuu muttered at her, a little frightened.

"Well?" she pressed. Yuu felt his face lighting up, reminded of a certain, uh, _feeling_ he'd experienced that morning with Mikaela's lips on his, and quickly shook himself out of it. Chihiro wanted an explanation, but... he wasn't gonna give it.

"We're just friends." Even though he _knew_ it was a lie, the words felt so fake – like spitting ripped plastic out of his mouth. Yet also they soothed him into thinking his new relationship with Mikaela wasn't as intimate as everyone would say... he only meant to be there for him in his time of need... being gay wasn't the same thing, right?

Chihiro sighed. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

"How sure?"

"Really, _reeeaalllyy_ sure," said Yuu.

Chihiro waited, her dark, burning eyes still on him, probably for him to say something that would give him away. "You know, Yuu, I can keep a secret if you don't want anyone else to know."

"I'm good!" Yuu had already turned around to leave.

"Fine, if you won't tell me... I'll just ask Akane!" Chihiro half-yelled at him across the store.

"She doesn't have any proof either!" Yuu yelled back.

Mika looked at him questioningly, wondering what that'd been about, to which Yuu waved him off.

Watching them get back to their shopping, – standing way closer than necessary, she noted, – Chihiro grinned to herself. "Then we'll _get_ proof."

* * *

 **I wanted this chapter to end on a lighter note since the last many have been pretty intense, and this story was originally intended to be very fluffy (wow look how that turned out).**

 **Mr. Shade, you were** _ **almost**_ **correct in your presumption, but not quite! (I had to make it more dramatic than just some hospital bedside kissing. XD)**

 **AngryDreamer, I'm glad you liked the** _ **Mission Impossible**_ **scenario! I wasn't going to have it be that way initially, but then I wondered how else Yuu would be able to get in there and whelp, there we go! I hope I explained some of Krul's standing point on what happened more in this chapter~ And oh my gosh, Yuu dedicating a song to Mika... I hadn't thought of that before! (I might just... have to... change a few things...) Ah yes, the famed "happy ending"... uhh... I'll get back to you on that.**

 **I don't know if you could tell, but for once, I actually had this chapter planned! ...Well, the first half of it, anyway. Ever since chapter 5. I'm pretty nervous, since if this chapter's a failure, then the entire story kinda is... Next topic, the song that Mikaela said he wrote himself is actually one that my sister wrote. I have a crappy version I made on Garage Band a few years back that I could go to the trouble of posting on my YouTube (which is riddled with nothing but** _ **Mario Kart 8**_ **videos) if anyone's interested~?**

 **I hope the chapter wasn't too sudden or OOC.** _ **Please**_ **leave your thoughts below~~**


	14. Midst the Flowers

Chapter XIV: **Midst the Flowers**

* * *

That night after dinner full of Chihiro whispering furiously to Akane, Mikaela had a dream.

He was a young child, only about 7 years old, living in a cottage in a pinewood forest. Blue spruces towered into the sky all around him, which was flooded with a cold fog, their tops unseen. He stood on the dirt path leading into the warm cottage up from a valley, shivering and looking up at an overcast sky. But he didn't go inside. He walked down the slope, carried away from warmth and safety, his surroundings saturated in thick white fog, becoming more obscured, the sky getting darker.

His pace increased until he was descending the mountainside slope at a sprint, the sound of wind and leaves rustling behind him as the darkness – and something else – followed him. No matter how fast he ran, he could not escape the blanket of darkness.

Finally, out of breath, he collapsed against the side of a tree, on the bank of a lake, seeing nothing but his tired, heaving reflection in the dangerously tranquil waters. Soon, the darkness shrouded the table of reflective water, and from it, a gloved hand appeared, rested on his shoulder.

 _"Did you honestly think you could escape?"_ Ferid's voice whispered in his ear, spurts of warm breath trailing down his neck.

Head swimming, hands clammy, Mikaela whipped around. The darkness had retreated, but Ferid's figure stood leaning calmly against a tree ten feet back from him. _"I merely have to give the word and my people will come get you,"_ he jeered, throwing his head back so silver hair hung down his shoulders. _"Your freedom is only short-lived, Young Master. You'll come back to us eventually; you'll have to. Because your only family is us, the servants at the Shindo Manor. We're all you've ever known."_ The butler gave an overly joyful cat-like grin, tilting his head forward in an aggressively seductive manner. And suddenly that grin was all Mikaela could see. _"Right, Mika dear~?"_

As Ferid said it, those ruby eyes gleamed, piercing right through Mika, to his soul, so that a hand flew to clutch his chest to keep it from feeling it was leaving his body, putting him on death's door.

Mikaela awoke, lying in the makeshift bed on the floor of Yuu's room, clutching the chest of the shirt the Director had bought him that day – a loose, plain white T-shirt, plaid pants. Hyperventilating, Mika brought his hands to his face, willing the anxiety and Ferid's calculated words and that gluttonous _stare_ to go away. However, suddenly the bruises on his neck felt very tender in the wintry, heater-choked air of the room. Mika could only recount his current location and the phrase "I'm fine" to bring his mind back to reality.

"Mika...? Is everything okay...?"

Mika jolted, hearing Yuu's voice – even if he was barely understandable from the obvious fatigue in his slurry words. And what time even was it? "Yuu, I'm fine, it's nothing. I'm sorry for bothering you."

The mattress of Yuichiro's bed squeaked as he sat up to see Mika, his hands over his face, doing everything he could to breathe steadily. "You're not okay," Yuu stated, voice level albeit exhausted. He flipped the covers over to make a spot on the bed. "C'mere."

Mikaela parted his fingers to see Yuu's vibrant green eyes, though droopy, peering through the dark room at him, wearing a black shirt – of some screamo band – and grey pants. Looking the other way, Mika sighed. "It's fine, Yuu. Sorry for –"

Yuu interrupted him in irritation, "Stop apologizing and just c'mere already!"

Mika knew it would only cause more trouble if he denied. Sighing again, slowly he peeled back his blankets and stood, stretched a little, – so that Yuu knew he was deliberating, not wanting to impose, – and slipped over into Yuu's warm covers. Yuichiro scooted over to make more room as Mika slid under the covers, careful not to get too close. Mika tried to say again, "I'm sorry I woke you –"

"I said be quiet!" Yuu ordered, pulling Mika closer to him when he only barely sat on the edge of the bed. Their legs tangled. Heat shot to Mika's face, and to Yuu's, except his eyes were closed in his annoyance. "You were tossing around in your sleep, so I was awake long before you anyway..." he mumbled.

"Sorry –"

"Hush!" said Yuu.

As they settled in around each other, Yuu's breath became deeper and so Mika closed his eyes, trying to sleep too. After a few moments, he instead caught himself blinking through the darkness to see Yuu's pristine face only a foot from his. Blushing, Mika spoke before he could think to stop himself. "...Were you having a nightmare too?"

Yuu opened his eyes. Surprised, he looked into Mika's face, so close to his. The impromptu of the inquiry was evident in those blue eyes, but Yuu couldn't fathom it. "How did you know?"

"You wouldn't wake up from me tossing around..." said Mika. "You sleep like a log."

Yuu breathed in and out deeply through his nose, closing his eyes again. How was Mikaela always able to read him so well, even when he was only half awake?

"Was it about your parents?" Mika further asked.

Yuu shrugged a little against the blankets. "No... I told you I don't dream about them much since I heard your piano," he muttered, pouting thinking Mika had forgotten.

"Then...?"

Yuu opened his eyes again, this time staring at Mika's hands, his pale fingers curled on the pillows in between them. "I dreamt that... the last few days never happened... that you were still trapped with your family, still... being bitten by Ferid, without anyone... and I... had to watch, on the outside, banging against the window, unable to do anything..."

Mikaela hadn't expected that answer. "...R-really?"

"Yeah..." In the corner of his gaze, Yuu could still see the bruise marks on Mika's neck.

"...Yuu, I think you need another hobby," said Mikaela.

Yuu's brow tightened as he shut his eyes again, readjusting himself beside Mikaela. "Shut up. Just accept what I tell you."

Mika laughed a little. Then, seeing how put-off Yuu seemed, he muttered soberly, "Really, I'm not sure what else to do when you say things like that..."

"Then don't say anything."

When Mika didn't answer, Yuu looked at him in earnest. "You don't have to make everything a joke all the time to take the attention off of you, all right?"

He avoided Yuu's gaze. "But..."

"I mean it."

Mika blinked at him for a while, then breathed out in a large sigh. "...I'm just not used to this..."

Yuu retrieved his arms from where they'd been around Mika's back and shoulders, and instead took Mika's empty hands, pulling him closer. Mikaela jerked back in surprise from Yuu's advances, which made him hesitate. "Mika, if you don't want to... you don't have to..."

Mikaela shook his head against the pillow. "It's not that... It's just... as I said, I'm not used to this..."

The shyness in Mika's reaction only made Yuu want to snuggle closer to him, but he restrained himself, unable to tell if Mika wanted him to or not – plus, his right side was aching from all his prior movement. His fingers began to unfurl in Mika's, but Mika held onto him, so he stayed.

"I was thinking, Mika," Yuu whispered. Those blue orbs watched him, waiting, anticipating his every move, it seemed. It made Yuu squirm a little. "Since you're going to be here for a while, would you want to... I don't know... help me... uh, make music? Together?"

Yuichiro wasn't sure Mika wanted to stay there at the Hyakuya Orphanage, which was why he swallowed after he said it.

Mika shifted under the blankets. "Yuu..." When he finally spoke, his voice was worried. "What are we going to do about my servants? You know Krul and Ferid will come after us by order of my parents. I'm surprised they haven't been here already. They'll stop at nothing to get what they want... especially when it concerns the heir."

Yuichiro had been avoiding this conversation, but he knew Mikaela was right. Frankly, he was surprised the Shindos hadn't tried to come get Mikaela already too. "They can't just come and abduct you in the middle of the night, right?" Yuu asked. "Isn't that against the law?"

"Maybe, but then isn't what you did to get me out of the mansion against the law too? So would it be against the law for them to get me back?"

"...But that was for your own good," said Yuu hastily. "They can't press charges if –"

"Yes they can," said Mika. "And they will, because they're Shindos."

"...Still, with all the turmoil caused between your two main servants –"

"I'm sure they're over that by now," Mika cut in.

"How can you be sure?"

"I can't, but knowing them they'll find a way to cooperate at least until they get me back." Yuu tried to find something to say, but Mika continued. "The fact that they haven't come already leads me to believe... there's something else they're worried about..."

"Like what?"

"I'm not sure... maybe... power relations?"

"Power relations?" Yuu repeated.

Sensing Yuu's exhaustion just talking about them, Mika changed the subject. "Now about this 'making music' together. I don't know, I thought we sounded pretty good on the piano the other day."

Yuu's brow furrowed lazily. "On the piano...?"

"You know, when we..."

By the way Mika's cheeks lit up and he wasn't able to finish his sentence, – rare for the characteristic joker Mikaela, – Yuichiro knew what he was referring to. His cheeks lit up too. Thinking Mika meant it as a signal, he moved closer. "Well, uh, there's more where that came fr –"

"I got it!" Mika burst, startling Yuu out of his trance.

"Wh-what?"

"I can teach you piano!"

"Haah?!" Yuu burst, jaw dropping. "But Mika, the piano is... it's just... a really hard instrument!" said Yuu, recoiling. "You think I haven't tried to play the piano downstairs before?!"

"Don't worry, Yuu," Mika assured, eyes bright. "I'll be a good teacher. It'll be fun!"

Yuu tried to protest but Mika was so adamant about it, his entire face lighting up – more than Yuu had seen in what felt like eons – that Yuu couldn't deny him. Both of them tired, Yuu let go of Mika's hands and turned around toward the wall, unable to sleep with Mika's face so near. After a while, Yuu felt Mika's arms fold tentatively over him as he moved closer. Their warm bodies stuck together like the best adhesive, and Yuu grinned to himself.

"Sweet dreams, Mika..."

"Same to you, Yuu..."

Yuichiro felt Mikaela relax and sink deeply into the mattress behind him.

* * *

 **~Adagissimo~**

* * *

Someone whispered loudly in his ear the next morning. "Yuu, there's someone here to see you."

Yuichiro groaned and turned over to find he was alone in the bed. Sitting up immediately, – and cringing, his side slightly stinging, – he saw Akane standing where Mika's makeshift bed should have been. "Whud'you want?" Yuu grumbled, swatting raven hair out of his face and scratching his stomach. Wiping drool off his chin, he realized what she'd said. "Who's 'ere to see me?"

"This kid named Asuramaru," said Akane. Once again, she was already dressed in her navy blue school uniform, her hair braided and parted to one side. "He wouldn't give me a last name."

Frightened where Mikaela could have been, Yuu sailed out of bed and down the stairs, through the front door. It was a Monday, so everyone was awake and getting ready. Outside the front door of the Hyakuya Orphanage, Yuu was faced by a shivering teen with long violet hair hanging over one eye, navy blue jacket buttoned snugly around his torso. "Asuramaru!" Yuu exclaimed, stepping out into the cold. "Where have you been for the past few days?"

"I came here to warn you, Yuu," Asuramaru said, barely acknowledging his greeting. "I've been able to hold the Shindos off, telling them that that Hiiragi girl was with you, but they're coming to the Hyakuya Orphanage sometime today. The only place you guys are safe is with a Hiiragi, but even then, if they find a time you two are alone..."

Yuu brought a hand to his chin. "Mika's no longer enrolled at Hiiragi High though..."

"You have to find some way to be surrounded by a Hiiragi at all times. Or you have to leave right now. I'm supposed to be spying on you to tell them when would be the best time to strike so that they can reclaim Mikaela and then never hear from you again."

"...Could you wait right here?"

"Not too long – they'll get suspicious if I'm late," said Asuramaru.

"I'll be right back."

Re-entering the warmth of the orphanage, Yuu found the Director already waiting for him in the foyer, knowing something was wrong. "Director, is there someplace we can hide Mika where the Shindos don't know about?"

She bowed her head a little, thinking hard. "Let's see... even if we put him in the basement, the Shindo Family have the means to search anyplace they wish without a warrant..."

"That's what I've been saying, Yuu," said Mikaela, coming down the stairs with Akane behind him. "They'll find us no matter where we go in the city," said Mika, stopping at the bottom. "And if they can't find us, they'll search until they do."

Yuu said, "Asuramaru said they wouldn't move in if a Hiiragi was present... Perhaps I could call Shinoa and –"

"I doubt she could stay with us at all times," Mika interrupted. "And I'm sure it won't take long once they realize how little of a threat she is, being the youngest in the family and with little interest in the politics of the Hiiragis and Shindos."

Asuramaru started knocking on the door, drawing Yuu's thoughts away as he opened the door for him.

"I really have to leave," Asuramaru said. "But I wouldn't recommend staying here too much longer. I'm supposed to report back to them right now with information on your guys' whereabouts. What should I tell them?"

"I'm gonna try it," said Yuu, looking back at Mika, Akane, and the Director.

"Try what?" Asuramaru asked, looking at them as if they knew what he was talking about.

"Calling Shinoa," said Yuu. "She'll have something, I'm sure of it. Thanks for all your help, Asuramaru. Whatever you tell them, just try to make sure you stall them as long as possible before they come here, okay?" Yuu asked hopefully.

"I'll do my best. But you better hurry."

Yuichiro nodded and thanked him before closing the door. Then, without waiting for Mikaela's reply, he ran up the stairs past him and Akane, into his room, unplugging the charger of his iPhone to call Shinoa. While the phone was ringing, Mika entered after him. "Yuu –"

"Ah, Shinoa, I have a huge favor to ask you."

"Yuu, listen to what I'm trying to –"

"Yeah, we need someplace to hide. Asuramaru came over saying the Shindos were on their way and that it would be safest to be with a Hiiragi. I know you aren't close with any of your family, but do you have any ideas about where we could go? I'd ask Guren, but I know he'd say no. And from the sounds of it, the Ichinoses wouldn't be that much of a threat to the second-in-command Shindo Family anyway."

"Yuu!"

"Hold on." Yuu covered the mouthpiece with one hand. "What, Mika?"

Mikaela could say nothing, too stunned by the determination in Yuu's expression.

"If you're about to say that it won't work and we should just give up," said Yuu, raising his eyebrows at him.

"No," said Mika, getting Yuu to actually listen. "Are you sure you know what you're doing? What if she leads us right into a trap?"

"...Even if she does, it's better than just staying here, right?"

Mika looked at the floor. "...I guess so."

"Right." Yuu watched him for another moment, lifting the phone back to his face. "So, got any ideas?"

On the other end, Shinoa said, "Wellll, there is one other person I trust in the Hiiragi Family –"

"Oh really? Who?"

"– but she... isn't the best person. My sister, Mahiru."

"I'm sure she's fine," said Yuu.

"No, Yuu, listen to me... she's... been doing some pretty shady things, making her on the high priority watch list for trouble."

"How likely do you think it would be for the Shindos to find us there?"

"Almost none."

"Then what's stopping you?"

"Yuu, I don't want you and Mikaela getting mixed up in my family's power hierarchy. You're already biting off more than you can chew here."

Mika had wanted to tell Yuu not to worry himself over his wellbeing, that he should focus on his studies, but Yuu's unwavering conviction had convinced him saying such things were worthless. Yet again, able to hear their conversation through the microphone, he proved Mika wrong. "I know the Hiiragis are supposed to be worse, but right now there's kind of only a choice between two evils."

"Yuu, don't you realize what this means?!" Shinoa said suddenly.

"No, what?"

"If you do this... if you decide to get mixed up in all this... you won't just be helping Mikaela... you'll be deciding your future, your career. Your life will be shaped only by your relationship to my sister and Mikaela."

"I have to agree, Yuu," said Mika, stepping forward. "I can't just sit by and watch while you destroy your life for me."

"Those of us who were born into these families," Shinoa continued, "we know what they're capable of, more than anyone. You won't be able to see the kids at the orphanage or your foster mother anymore. Take it from us."

Yuu shook his head, his eyes on Mikaela. "No. Take it from me," he said. "I thought no one wanted me, haunted only by what my parents did." Fire and blood flashed before his eyes, causing Yuu to intake sharply. This time, he didn't will the images down. He let them fuel his response. "They _destroyed_ me, and took everyone they could down with them... and now, the Shindos are doing the same thing... to Mika. Back then, I'd been sure it would never get better. I was sure I'd have to carry that pain forever, but… Say what you want, but I'll find a way to live happily, with the Hyakuya orphans, with the Director, and the Shinoa Squad, with everyone... Now tell me where I can find your sister, or will I have to find out myself?"

Silence.

"...Mitsu and I will meet you at the bullet train station."

Shinoa hung up the phone, and so did Yuu, eyes falling to the floor.

Mikaela waited, but Yuu said nothing, exchanging the phone between his hands.

"...What'd she say?"

Yuu looked at him. "Pack your things." There was something fearful in his eyes.

Mika started, "But Yuu –"

"This isn't it. We'll come back," Yuichiro assured. He brought his hands to Mika's shoulders and leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. "I promise, Mika, we'll come back."

Speechless by the tenderness and determination in his vibrant citrine eyes, Mika sighed, holding onto Yuu just as tightly. "I hope you're right..."

* * *

 **~Piangevole~**

* * *

It didn't take long to pack, since most of Mika's things had been left at the Shindo Manor except for the clothes the Director had gotten him the day before. Yuu was heartbroken to leave all his band merchandise and the equipment the Squad had gotten him for Christmas, but he understood the gravity of the situation and that they needed to leave as quickly and lightly as possible. He vowed he'd come back for it one day...

Just like in Mikaela's dream, the city world around them was full of fog as they set out from the Hyakuya Orphanage, waving their good-byes to the orphans and Director. All six of them: Akane, Chihiro, Kouta, Taichi, Ako, and Fumie, watched them with sadness in their eyes – particularly crestfallen were Chihiro and Kouta.

"Big brother Yuu," said the boy with wild hair, "who am I gonna be able to ask to pwn the meanies online on COD now?"

Yuu had often considered him annoying, but… he was the closest Yuu had ever had to a real sibling, and a younger brother at that. Yuu smiled at him, a hand on his shoulder. "Get good at it yourself, and then you can challenge me, okay?"

Kouta nodded. "Right... Taichi, you'll let me practice on you, right?"

Taichi looked absolutely terrified by the offer, knowing how ruthless Kouta was to those online. "U-uh –"

Yuichiro laughed and turned away to Chihiro, who could barely peek at him over the silver rim of her glasses, wiping tears from her eyes. Yuu watched her with sympathy until she said, "I'll keep looking even while you're gone! To believe you're leaving with your one true love so soon –!"

Yuu bellowed, "OKAY, SEE YAH," quickly turning his back on her. Then he found Akane, who said nothing just like yesterday at breakfast, to which Yuu finally asked what was wrong.

She hesitated, voice becoming more desperate. "It's just... you were finally starting to be a part of the family, but at the cost of having to leave…"

Yuu put a hand on her shoulder, staring into her uncertain brown eyes. There was something else she was hiding. And Yuu thought he could guess what it was. "You should know what my place was never here, Akane. Ever since I arrived, I've been nothing but trouble."

"I know," she sniffled, a small laugh escaping her lips as she speedily flicked away the tear that was sliding down her face. "But still, I… I hoped that you and Mikaela could be happy here."

Yuu smiled at her. "You never were a good liar." Enclosing his arms around her, he whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, you'll find something worth fighting for too." Somehow, he felt tears in his eyes at the words, though he wasn't quite sure why. Him and Akane – him and all of the orphans, including the Director, really – had always been at odds the entire time he'd stayed at the Hyakuya Orphanage. He was coming back someday, so why was good-bye so painful?

Finally, he came to the Director, who just stood there, offering her warm, wrinkly smile. "You know, Yuichiro… from the moment you first arrived, I was so worried for you… You were unlike any of the children already here, having seen and experienced terrible things most of us wouldn't be able to even imagine… and I knew that meant you were the strongest." She reached out and took his hands in hers, her pleasant gaze and smile turning somber. "Not all of us would be so willing to fight for what we believe in. You really have grown up to be a fine young man." Her hands squeezed his, and Yuu could see tears welling in her droopy eyes. "I wish you all the happiness and luck in the world." She looked past him. "And of course to you too, Mikaela."

Yuu turned to see Mika, whose cheeks became a light pink, cerulean eyes fixed and wide.

"Thank you," Yuu muttered, pulling away from her. "We won't disappoint."

"We know you won't," piped up Akane. With the orphans and Director behind her, she nodded to them to be off.

Yuichiro and Mikaela walked down the street without looking back, the orphans and Director watching them. Taking abandoned back roads, the station was only a few blocks from the orphanage, though they kept vigilant of their surroundings and the people around them. The buildings and streets were cast in an eerie light from the rising sun.

Despite the time of morning, the station was fairly crowded, and it took Yuu and Mika a while to locate Shinoa and Mitsuba on the platform.

"There you are!" said Shinoa, shoving the tickets in Yuu's hands and pushing him toward the sleek, bullet train doors.

"Wait – where are we going?" he asked, looking back.

"Hurry up, or else you're going to miss it!" prodded Mitsuba.

"You're going to Nagoya!" informed Shinoa.

"You'll give me updates if anything happens back here, right?" Yuu asked them.

"I don't think that'd be a good idea," said Mitsuba behind her. "They might start tracking our calls."

"Actually," Mika spoke up from behind Yuu. "I suspect my family won't want the Hiiragis to know what's been going on. If they were to track one of their phones, the Hiiragis might find out and then they'd wonder why. It'd be too risky for them."

Yuu looked back to Shinoa, who nodded. "I'll tell you if anything happens. Now, go."

"Shinoa." Yuu stopped in the doorway, nothing hurried about his expression. "Thank you."

She was taken aback. "What's this, Yuu? Getting sentimental on me? That's so unlike you."

"I mean it, Shinoa," he said. "I would never have come his far without your help." He didn't just mean for getting them the tickets to her sister, Mahiru, but everything before that. Forcing him to befriend the Shinoa Squad when he first arrived at Hiiragi High, heartbroken from the last few months in the hospital. Egging him on to help Mika and overcome any kind of internal obstacles he may have faced as a result...

She smiled, bowing her head. Purple bangs fell around her face. "Don't thank me yet. You may change your mind once you meet her."

Yuu nodded. "Yeah. Be sure to tell Yoichi and that telephone pole Kimizuki what happened and that we're okay, if you can."

"Of course." Then she took his arm, magenta eyes looking at him honestly and urgently. "I hope you and Mikaela can live happily one day. Have a safe trip."

As the doors slid closed and the train started to move, Yuu saw her join hands with Mitsuba as they watched them go. Yuu kept his eyes out the doorway, frozen, streets and faceless people rushing by as if in a systematic 1980s music video montage, until Tokyo City was a speck getting smaller and smaller in his line of sight, as if he was leaving behind the halcyon of memory that was the rest of his life up till now, and starting completely anew.

Mika whispered behind him, "Yuu, there are people staring at us. We should find our seats," snapping Yuu out of his stupor.

Rivers, lakes, and trees shot by in a blur of high speed all around them, occasionally stopping at a station to let off a few of the passengers, let a few more on. They even passed by the famous Mount Fuji, the fog clearing enough for Yuu to see the snowy tip-top, so close to touching the sky, crouched and resolute as any mountain should be. Eventually Yuu noticed how Mika shook, sitting beside him. And Yuu realized he was shaking too. This was real. They were running away from the city because a big corporation was after them. They didn't know when they would be back or exactly where it was they were going… but at least they were together. Yuu took Mika's hand in his, causing him to look over. "It's okay, Mika. Everything's gonna be okay..."

"How can you be so sure?" he whispered. His voice was much shakier than Yuu had expected.

"...I just know it." But he didn't. Right then, he had to know it.

Hours passed and the sun dissipated all the fog in the places all around them, but so did the sense of calamity that radiated from behind.

The Nagoya bullet train station was much busier, thousands of people were lined up to rush into the trains, pushing past. Yuu and Mikaela almost lost each other a couple times, so that Yuu held onto his hand. With the tickets, Shinoa had handed him the address to Mahiru's house. The farther and farther Yuu and Mikaela got from the city, the more they feared they were going the wrong way.

The house they were led to at the brink of twilight was one that was on the fringes of the city, surrounded by a garden of frosted trees and frozen flowerbeds and a whole array of other knickknacks such as crystal balls, water fountains, a cobblestone path, and a koi pond. Yuu was starting to question what kind of person they would meet at the front door, but it opened before Mika could put his fist against it and knock. With huge, circular-rimmed glasses, a girl slightly shorter than them – and with a considerable chest size – slammed open the sliding double doors. "You're finally here."

"You were expecting us?" Mika asked, taken off-guard.

"Yeah, what took you so long?" she demanded.

Yuu started, "We got lost –"

"No excuse. Come inside." She turned back into the cottage-like round house, black skirt swaying about her slender, stockinged legs, purple hair – paler than Shinoa's – swishing around her white-bloused body.

Both stopped on the doorstep, Mika asked, "Shouldn't we introduce ourselves first –?"

"No friend of my younger sister's needs to be introduced," she waved off with a flick of her wrist. "She's the only other person in my family who didn't turn out to be a bigot, so..."

The girl stopped. Turning around, she pulled off her huge, circular-rimmed glasses and smiled at them. As she did, however, her eyes shone ruby red. And she grinned, wide and feline-like. Mikaela balked in place. "Hello, my name is Hiiragi Mahiru. It's nice to meet you."

* * *

 **I've been busy. So busy. Unbelievably busy. Busy enough that I should not be writing this. But the show must go on!**

* * *

 **Mr. Shade, I'm glad the make out scene was satisfying! It sure was satisfying to write~ (And yeah, unfortunately Kagami seems like a queerbaiter so it doesn't look like the same will be happening in canon at any time soon. :P) Mika wearing Yuu's band shirts would be rather torturous, wouldn't it? (I can't believe I forgot about Crowley! But hey, that's not a half bad idea…)**

 **AngryDreamer, Akane is totally jealous. Who couldn't be of Yuichiro and Mikaela~? Chihiro's inner mischievousness has not yet been fully realized, though it doesn't seem I'll be getting to it for another while, but we'll have to see… I'm glad you enjoyed the kissing scene! We'll have to see how far I can take this. (rubs hands together) Mweh heh heh… I'm so glad it doesn't seem OOC… I worry about that a lot. Especially with the sudden new plot development. I really hope it wasn't totally random… Thank you!**

 **Meekayew, I know the feeling, thinking a fic is finished. I hope you enjoyed this update and continue to enjoy the story~**

* * *

 **Yesterday I had my piano recital, and believe it or not, I played** _ **Love Dream**_ **(or better known as** _ **Liebestraum**_ **) by Franz Liszt. I found the song on accident while looking for something that Mika could play during chapter 2, what seems so long ago now, and well... I fell in love with it. I never thought I would be able to play it. Yet just yesterday I was able to perform it in front of others... After the recital, so many people came up to me and told me how beautiful it was. And I've realized... not only how much has changed in this story when I first found the song, but in my life as well. I set out only trying to experiment, not knowing where I was going, and yet this has become so much more... Sorry for getting suddenly real on you, but it's the truth.**

 **I hope this chapter was to your liking!** **And I posted the song** ** _Fade Away_** **that I made on my messy YouTube channel. The link can be found on my bio!**

 **Please, as always, do not forget to leave your thoughts below! I always enjoy hearing them~**


	15. Needed

Chapter XV: **Needed**

* * *

Blinking lights glared in the faces of the two young boys, Kouta and Taichi, as they sat cross-legged on the fuzzy carpet of the Hyakuya Orphanage's living room. Their automatic weapons onscreen released rapid fire upon their foes; power-ups of "Death Machine" and "Bonfire Sale" flashed with every barrage of attacks.

"Yes, yes, YES!" When the results appeared, the older of the two – Kouta – threw his hands in the air triumphantly, placing third highest score in the online Battle Royale against opponents across the globe. "Finally, top three!"

On the leaderboard about ten spaces below him was Taichi. "Aw, you always use me as your human shield..." Taichi pouted, dropping his controller and turning the other way, crossing his arms.

Kouta nudged him with one elbow, attempting comfort. "C'mon, little bro, it was nothing personal. I thought we were a te –"

The deafening pang of the doorbell pounded from the foyer, kitchen, and into the living room.

Taichi looked toward the open foyer, where the dark world outside camouflaged three men behind the door. "Who's that at this time of night?"

Kouta stood up, brow furrowing in the same direction. "Not sure... Mom," he called cautiously, "there's someone at the door."

"This late?" she asked from the top of the stairs.

"Apparently."

The homely woman ventured down the stairs, wiping her hands on her apron. Flipping on the light switch, she gasped at the massive silhouettes outlined at the crystal-glass door: three tall, overbearing shadows.

"Who _is_ that, Mom?" Taichi asked, peering around Kouta's legs.

"Don't say a word," she ordered without looking at them. All the normal warmth had gone from her voice, and it sent shivers down Kouta's spine.

"What's she mean, big brother?" Taichi asked. Kouta bent down to him and instinctively wrapped his arms around his younger foster brother, befuddling him further. "H-hey –!" He tried to wriggle out of Kouta's arms in protest.

"I'm not sure what it means," Kouta whispered to him; the sheer tension in Kouta's voice caused Taichi to be still. "Stay quiet."

As the door swung slowly open, the Director offered the three looming figures her usual pleasant smile best she could. "Good evening, gentlemen, how may I help you?"

They didn't wait for her to welcome them into the orphanage, just entered, stepping into the genkan and onto deep rosewood floor in a uniform motion, the remnants of snow and slush on their shoes. "Enough with the commodities, woman," whistled Ferid, Lacus and René behind him. All dressed in butler's elegant outfits, they didn't bother to give the Director so much a nod.

Tip-toeing across the foyer as if to be stealthy, Lacus sang, "We know you're hiding them somewheeere~" René followed, groaning disinterestedly. When the pair saw Kouta with Taichi clinging onto him, they began to head toward the kitchen. Horrified, the Director moved to block their paths, arms splayed out protectively, expression more panicked than she realized. She had noticed, after all, that their eyes were all crimson, dark as the reddest blood. They were no doubt of the Shindo Corporation.

"You can search all you want, but you won't find them here," said she, daring to look them in the eyes. "I assure you of that."

"Oh, so you know for whom we search, do you~?" Ferid stepped in between the two henchmen to lean over the frightened elder woman, one gloved hand touching beneath her chin. Though she was scared, she remained defiant, not allowing his intimidating aura to win her over.

"You can use any tactics you want, but you won't find anything," she reiterated. Since that morning she had been transferring the posters, vinyls, clothes, and music-making equipment in Yuu's room and stashing them in the cellar where the boiler and plumbing were located. Only a crazy person would go down there – they would be baked at over 80 degrees Celsius.

Sharp as ever, Ferid could see the events of the afternoon unfolding in her normally soft eyes, hardening her resolve and making her more and more sure of her decision to defy them. He could see not only the plan to hide all evidence of Yuichiro's and Mikaela's stay at the Hyakuya Orphanage, but their plans of escape from the city as well.

Ferid smirked, taking his hand off her chin. He leaned in, and whispered, "But, you know something else... _don't you~?_ "

She took a step backward, fear revitalized, nearly against the two young boys behind her. "Y-you can't just come in here without a warrant. I'll call the police –"

"My dear mistress," Ferid cooed, "we _own_ the police."

Becoming more frantic by the second, another voice broke her train of thought.

"Hey, leave her alone!"

The elderly woman, along with Ferid, Lacus, and René, turned their gazes upon Kouta, who stood beside the Director in the doorway with his fists clenched, shoulders elevated, huffing in anger and fear. Taichi stood behind him, shaking just as much. As Ferid instead set his focus onto the two boys, the Director cried out, "No!" but Lacus and René took hold of her arms and yanked her aside. Ignoring the old woman's pleas, Ferid crouched down to the two boys, an arm slung over his knee. "It's all right, we were just asking her a few harmless questions, but she wasn't cooperating. Perhaps you two would be willing to tell me~?" Ferid tilted his head with that irritable, infectious grin.

Kouta wasn't fooled. "No way, I'd never tell you where big brother Yuu and his friend went!"

Ferid's grin faded until it was something more serious, sardonic and penetrating. He sighed through his nose, gradually, like a great beast before his gold, but Kouta stood his ground. "You know," he said, "I really didn't want to have to do this the hard way." Ferid snatched up Kouta and Taichi by the scruffs of their shirts, suspending them as they kicked helplessly in the air.

The Director lurched forward, but Lacus and René held her back once again. "What're you –?!"

"Now listen up," said Ferid. "Either you're going to tell me where the two of them snuck off to, or things are going to have to get _really_ messy."

The Director gave one last attempt of freedom, however looking into those ruby eyes and those belonging to the restricting hands around her arms, she saw something in Ferid that was merciless, inhuman... and his grip on the boys' shirts tightened.

She slumped against their grips and relented. "All right..."

* * *

 **~Chiuso~**

* * *

An awkward silence pervaded Mahiru's dining room where Yuichiro and Mikaela sat. Plates and silverware clattered in the cupboards and walls of the kitchen behind them, neither knowing what to do in the meantime. The dining room itself was ovular in shape, large windows across one of the walls providing a full view of the river and gardens in the back. Yuu could see some of the river still frozen, though it was melting quickly, chipping away at the icy banks where a bamboo souzu rocked back and forth in the interconnected, chakra-like koi ponds. The flowerbeds' frozen surfaces, which appeared as tables of soil and ice, showed the beginnings of budding flowers, though it was only mid-January. Behind this panoramic view of the backyard, the city of Nagoya was visible, sparkling in the light of dusk behind the tops of the trees.

They both faced this grand view of the backyard sitting side-by-side, hands in their laps. "Nice backyard," Yuichiro commented. Antique Japanese tea sets and other charms lay in the glass casings on either side of them, around the perimeter of the dining room, giving a feeling of ancientness when so close to the modern skyscrapers of the heart of the city.

Mika nodded slowly. "Yeah... You noticed, right, Yuu?"

Yuu turned toward him. "Noticed what?"

"Her eyes," said Mika, pointing to his blue irises, "they were red. Yuu, I'm not sure I like this."

"Why not?"

"Shinoa sent us to her sister only after giving us multiple warnings," Mika said. "It all just seems so... I mean, Mahiru herself seems so –"

"Eccentric?" Mahiru answered, marching out of the kitchen. Yuu and Mika jolted in their seats, turning to see her carrying two four-tier piles of steel platters steaming through the holes in their tops. "I get that a lot," she shrugged. Placing the food in the center of the table, she sat at the head of the table, adjusted her skirt around her legs. Her swirly, thick circular glasses, earlier hanging from a string around her neck, she now set down on the table with a loud smack, unconcerned about her delicacy.

Mika gave Yuu a pointed look.

"All right, _bon appétit!_ " She lifted the covers of two of the plates to reveal sesame chicken under one and mochigome rice under the other. Hungrily, Yuu speedily assisted in uncovering the next four bowls, while Mika uncovered two of them himself. Edamame, udon, sushi, onigiri, sashimi, and wonton soup lay under the remaining seven silver bowls.

"How did you prepare all this?!" Yuu asked, green eyes shining in the reflection of all the steaming food.

"Like I said, Shinoa told me you were coming. I was surprised you took as long as you did."

Yuu began shoveling food onto his plate, to which Mika shot him a disapproving glare. "What? She said to dig in!"

Mika sighed as Yuu called, "Thanks for the meal!" and fumbled an entire wonton – dripping with broth – down his throat. "And it's actually good!" Yuu exclaimed. Mika instantly slapped Yuu on the back of the head without restraint, almost making him regurgitate the recently-swallowed wonton. "Ow! What the hell was that for, Mika?!" Yuu whined, holding the back of his head with the same hand holding his chopsticks. When wonton soup dripped from them onto his shoulder, he hastily picked up a napkin to wipe it off.

"What do you mean, 'And it's actually good'?" Mika yelled at him. "Don't you have any manners?!"

"All I meant was that since Shinoa's cooking is so horrible, it was kinda a surprise..." Yuu muttered at Mika's glare.

Buoyant laughter rolled from Mahiru's mouth at the head of the table. "I can see why Shinoa spoke so highly of you two. You're pretty funny!"

Mika's harsh stare faded when a blush overtook his expression instead, and so Yuu had to chuckle a little at him as well. Carefully, Mika picked up one of the onigiri and took a bite out of it, humming delightedly to himself as the sweet, sweet taste enveloped his tongue and trickled down his throat.

"See? What'd I tell you?!"

Mika nodded. "You're right, it is good..." He turned to Mahiru, who ate placidly, bringing one food article to her mouth at a time. "...Do you mind?"

She extended a welcome hand. "Not at all."

Mika began shoveling foods of all kinds onto his plate, digging in without stopping. Yuu followed suit, getting his hands and chopsticks on just about everything at the table. Midway through, he noticed how relaxed and upbeat Mika seemed. Mikaela probably hadn't allowed himself a meal this fully in weeks...

Mahiru caught Yuu smiling at Mika, so Yuu quickly went back to eating, shoveling rice down his throat with a small blush grazing his cheeks, eyes a little wide. Mahiru gave a very Shinoa-like giggle under one hand – or maybe it was Shinoa who copied her.

Once they had eaten their full, insisting on at least helping Mahiru clean the dishes to thank her for her wonderful cooking, Mahiru led them down one of the rickety halls to the guest bedrooms. "I already took your guys' stuff to the rooms you'll be staying," she said, "so feel free to unpack at your leisure."

"Thank you," said Mika, bowing to her. "I don't know how much Shinoa told you about why we're here, but shouldn't we explain –?

Mahiru waved him off, shaking her head. "We can talk more about the situation once you've had some rest. Get a good night's sleep and tell me in the morning."

"Thanks for everything," said Yuu, also bowing to her as she left them, going back down the hall. Once she'd disappeared, Mika ran his fingers down the yellowing wallpaper on the side of one of the doors. "This house is so old and yet polished... It definitely once belonged to one of the higher classes during the Edo Period."

"Yeah, you can tell since the walls aren't made of paper."

Mika turned on him with a condescending stare. "Yuu, I didn't know you paid attention during history class."

"Just move over," Yuu ordered, pushing past Mika, and through the door into the room. The bed inside, which was what Yuu saw first, was only a single, not much more than a mattress, blankets, and a pillow resting in the corner on the floor. It wasn't the bed's size that bamboozled the two of them the most however. "Where's my stuff?" Yuu asked, looking around. The room's accommodations were sparse enough as it was. He didn't see his bag near the window, closet, desk or chest of drawers.

Mika looked around the hallway, when he noticed the open door across from it. Peeping one head inside, he found a remarkably similar setup, just mirrored, and, was that –? "Oh, Yuu, you're stuff's in here."

"What?" Turning around, he looked into the other room and sure enough, there was his backpack, barely zipped and overflowing with band shirts and Apple-branded USB cords to charge his iPhone with. He stood back. "Oh..." Feeling strangely alienated, he didn't bother to look back at Mika. "I guess I'll sleep in here then..."

Even stranger was how Mika stared after Yuu as he shut the door. "Okay... Good night, Yuu."

"Night, Mika."

Both doors shut with a soft click. Mika turned to his empty room, toward the backpack of clothes the Director of the Hyakuya Orphanage had been kind enough to purchase before their great escape from Tokyo. He began unbuttoning his shirt, his jacket having been left at the front door after Mahiru had let them inside, finding the room peculiarly warm.

In his own room, Yuu pulled on a new pair of pants and set of underwear before grabbing a plain black shirt and pulling it over his head. Then he looked out the window, catching his own reflection in the glass. The city of Nagoya glittered in the darkness outside past the trees, but in his eyes was the light of the room's dim bulbs. He didn't look tired, per se, more unsure for what the future would bring. Shinoa's words of warning came back to haunt him: _"If you do this... if you decide to get mixed up in all this... you won't just be helping Mikaela... you'll be deciding your future, your career. Your life will be shaped only by your relationship to my sister and Mikaela. You won't be able to see the kids at the orphanage or your foster mother anymore. Take it from us."_ His reply had been unmovable, though... Now that he was nowhere near the people he had known for the past two years, his foster family and his friends, he wasn't sure... He didn't regret his decision to help Mikaela be rid of his lecherous head butler Ferid and cynical parents, but where would the two of them go from here, both locationally and emotionally? Yuu found himself sighing, wanting to know what Mika thought of the entire ordeal, but, _I don't want him to think all of this is his fault, putting us in this situation... It was my choice to help him; it wasn't Mika's choice to be born into the Shindo Family._

Maybe it was best to put it off for tomorrow...

Freshly dressed, Mikaela slipped into the bed, pulling the sheets up to the middle of his chest. He wasn't used to the warmth of the room; larger buildings, like the Shindo Manor, were always chilled by the spacious, dry flow of air between rooms.

 _I wonder how Yuu's doing in the other room._ Mika glanced at the door, wishing he could see through it and the next door, but he shook his head. He felt the drowsy footsteps of sleepiness approaching him for the first time in what felt like years. Mika turned toward the opposite wall, hunkering into the blankets.

Just last night, Yuu had cuddled him again, and this time it was on purpose... Mika felt himself heat up from the thought, forced to throw back some more of the covers before he roasted himself alive. _Ahh, stop!_ Hands flew up to his cheeks as if to blotch out the memory of Yuu's light touches that made him smolder. _I can't focus on the touchy-feely details right now!_ His attachment to Yuu could not allow him to sway his feelings too much on the matter. Yuu's devotion to him... it couldn't go any further, could it? Mika wasn't used to his displays of affection anyway... not that he didn't like them.

He was just so unsure of himself. What if Yuu began to regret his decision and wanted to go back to the orphanage, except he was too afraid to say so?

 _No use worrying about that now,_ he chided. _Right now, worry first about getting some rest..._

Tragically, Mika really did miss Yuu's arms around him. (It took him another hour or two to finally settle down, while across the hall Yuu was snoring within minutes.) As Mika finally allowed the darkness to swallow him up, Mika prayed, _Please, don't leave me here all alone, Yuu..._

 _Please don't leave me alone ever again._ Mika was not quite aware of this last thought before he fell asleep.

* * *

 **~Mezza voce~**

* * *

Ferid strode into the Masters' quarters with his black tailcoat flapping behind him; for now, the space was Krul's. Paintings of the Shindos' faces eluded the two servants, presiding over the cedar wood office and glowering down on all below, hard lines around dull eyes and dull faces.

"I found out where they went."

"Are you sure?" Krul inquired, seated in the Master's leather chair at the head of the spotless office.

Ferid recalled what had happened next at the orphanage, how Akane and Chihiro, Ako and Fumie had walked in and watched the scene at the top of the stairs while Kouta and Taichi's bodies wriggled in the air, in Ferid's hands. How the Director had seen the look of malice in his ruby eyes as his gaze shifted over to the four of them, the premonition of a step toward them in his body language. The Director had called out in desperation: _"Shibuya! They're in Shibuya! Visiting a friend of mine!"_

 _"Director!"_ Akane had yelled.

 _"Very good, Director,"_ Ferid congratulated, ruby eyes slightly wide and on the elderly woman. He'd set the two boys on the ground to rush up to Akane and the others. _"I'm glad you see the smartest choice in this matter."_ He moved toward where Lacus and René held her captive, bending forward until their faces were eye-level. _"Now, do tell me the name of this dear friend of yours."_

"The old bat couldn't even hold on to the so-called defiance she was so proud of," Ferid told Krul. "I am transparently sure that Shibuya is where they are."

Krul raised her long, pink fingernails, stroking her chin. "Hmm..."

At her skeptical stare, Ferid brought a hand to his chest and asked, "Dear Krul, what kind of trickery could they possibly get past the Shindo Family~?"

Krul shrugged. "You're probably right. But just to be sure, take someone with you." She rotated the leather chair toward the window overlooking the Shindo property, one leg crossed over the other, her risqué attire making her thighs and high heels open for all the world to see.

"Then Lacus and René will be happy to accomp –"

"No, not those two boneheads," Krul interrupted, bored, tapping her nails on her chin. Her bluntness rocked Ferid off his kilter, sensing something else in her intentions.

"Why not? Those two are my best servants –"

"That's precisely why," Krul answered. She stood from the Master's leather throne. Though half his height, when she walked toward Ferid he could feel power within every step of her high heels against the wooden floor and onto the rug. "You caught me off-guard once," she said, "but you won't do it again. Don't think for a minute that just because we share the same goal I'm going to allow you to do whatever you please to retrieve the Young Master." Her crimson eyes dug deeply into him, unforgiving, recapitulating her place of power over him.

"I doubt I'll even have to lay a finger on him," said Ferid calmly, taking a step back from her.

"Why do you say that?" Krul demanded.

Ferid spread his arms, grinning knowingly at her. "Why, my dear Krul, Mika will come back to us. He has to." He pointed toward the ceiling, twirling one finger. "Fear is a powerful agent, my queen."

"I know that," she huffed, turning half back toward the window. A hand fell on her hip, but she stayed quiet.

Ferid didn't understand. "Then what's the matter?"

She looked him in the eye. "I'm not sure it'll be as easy as you think. I'll contact your escort to Shibuya, so go get ready."

Ferid was taken aback, tone sharpening. "Excuse me, _my_ escort?"

"Yes, _your_ escort. Crowley Eusford. You two know each other, right?"

"Well yes, but –"

"Then go get ready."

Ferid wasn't fond of the new tone Krul took with him, but feeling the bloodlust toward him in her every movement, he knew it best not to argue. He bowed, turned on one heel and left the room, but as soon as the door shut behind him and Krul turned back to the window, grinned. He reveled in the knowledge of how unaware she truly was.

* * *

 **~Wolno~**

* * *

The next morning, Mika started, "So about Shinoa's reason for sending us here –"

"Ah, ah, ah," said Mahiru. Dressed in overalls, a loose purple checkered blouse, a straw hat, and those thick, swirly glasses, she made her way toward the gardens in back. "First, I want you to help me outside."

"Wh-what?" Mika burst. Behind him, Yuu emerged from his own room across the hallway barely conscious. His bedhead still as messy as ever, he blinked past Mika and Mahiru at the world as if he'd never once seen it.

Before either of them could comprehend what was happening, Mahiru had shoved fertilizer, watering buckets, and gloves in their hands and straw hats on their heads and sent them out into the cold.

And so, that was how they spent the entire morning and afternoon churning frozen soil, shivering in the cold. At noon, Mahiru brought them snacks – onigiri and juice – and then ordered them to get back to work.

Despite the cold temperatures, the two of them were rather sweaty and dehydrated by the end of it, barely having time or energy to discuss what steps to take next, since the Shindo and Hiiragi Families were likely coming for them sooner or later. Back inside – their denim overalls and matching red- and blue-checkered shirts now covered in slush – Yuu proposed, "So, about what Shinoa sent us here for –"

"My, you two sure are filthy," Mahiru gasped, covering her nose and swishing one hand in the air as if they were the most horrid thing she'd ever smelled. "Take a shower while I prepare dinner, and then we can talk."

"Wait a minute –!" Yuu protested.

"Whatever, Yuu," Mika interrupted, resting a hand on Yuu's shoulder and knowing no matter how much he argued, there was nothing that would change Mahiru's mind and make her talk now. "Let's just do as she says. Which way is the bathroom?"

"Down the same hall your bedrooms are at," she said, pointing and spinning her glasses on one finger.

"Thanks."

Once out of earshot, Yuu made Mika turn around despite his hand on his shoulder. "Hold on, Mika, why are we just doing whatever she says?" Yuu asked.

"Just last night you were the one saying we should trust Mahiru no matter how shady she seems," Mika rebuffed.

Yuu shook his head of sweat-matted hair. "I did not say that."

"It's what you implied."

"Listen... I'm just trying to say, we shouldn't be as untrusting of her as you were trying to make it sound. I mean, Shinoa trusts her, and if it wasn't for Shinoa there's no way we would have been able to escape Tokyo without your family finding out."

Mika scrunched his nose. "You are filthy. You better take a shower before me."

Something flashed across Yuu's face, their conversation forgotten. "No way, you smell just as bad. If I shower before you, when I come out Mahiru won't even be alive to discuss anything with."

"What are you suggesting, that we shower _together_?" Mikaela realized too late the proposition he'd just laid down as if it was nothing, normal day life. Yuichiro tried, in all honesty, not to give away how blasphemous the enquiry was through his expression, but he didn't do a very good job. Mika backed up. "Oh, no."

"Why not?" Yuu asked oh-so-innocently, moving closer.

"No, no, no, no way in a million years am I showering with you!" Mika said, backing away. He couldn't hide the rush of excitement he experienced from Yuu's competitive stance and expression. "You smell like a troll!"

"So do you!" When Mika tried to dart around him, Yuu caught onto his arm and pulled him back, both laughing incorrigibly. Yuu had just about trapped Mika against the wall when Mahiru appeared on the other side of the hallway, her thick glasses bending her vision enough for Yuu to quickly back away and Mikaela to brush himself off, clearing their throats as if nothing had happened. By the time Mahiru lifted her glasses off her face, it was as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all.

"Good news, boys. I just got a call from Shinoa and she said neither the Hiiragis nor the Shindos know where either of you two are. But Yuichiro," Her steady crimson gaze rested upon him, unfeeling, squared off by lavender bangs. "You need to check your phone. Someone named Akane has been trying to catch ahold of you, saying it's urgent."

"Akane?" Yuu spun around, rushing past Mikaela and into his room to his phone. On the lock screen, he saw "Akane Missed Call (10)." He dialed her number and she picked up on the first ring.

"Yuu, they were here," she said, out of breath.

"What?"

"The Shindo servants. They were at the orphanage. They were looking for you, and when they threatened Kouta and Taichi, the Director had to tell them something."

"What?!" Yuu gripped the phone with both hands, speaking directly into it. "What did she tell them?! Do they know we're in Nagoya?!"

"No, no, don't worry," Akane assured. "She told them you two are in Shibuya, in the opposite direction."

Yuu closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The thought of Ferid or anyone else from the Shindo Manor touching any one of the orphans... "Shibuya... that's where Asuramaru is from, isn't it?" he said, hoping to distract himself from the sudden raised stakes of the situation and wickedness of the head butler.

"Yeah, he's leading them on for as long as possible to distract them and keep you two from being found. But Yuu, you know, eventually they will find out you two aren't in Shibuya, and when that happens..."

"Don't worry," said Yuu. "We'll have come up with a plan by then."

"Okay…" Her voice was filled with a kind of fearful exhaustion. Yuu wondered if she'd been able to sleep last night knowing she had to call him. "I don't trust that Asuramaru kid. At least not completely. He's doing a good job of helping you, but there has to be something else he wants..."

"I promised to help him with whatever he wants later on, but he hasn't asked about it since we made that promise." Yuu shrugged. "He's okay."

"All right, I'll trust your judgment for now," said Akane. "Yuu, I know I really shouldn't have called you on this line, but I couldn't help it. I didn't know how to get ahold of Shinoa with something this urgent. Promise me you and Mikaela won't do anything rash and you'll be okay?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine."

"All right... Talk to you later."

"Yeah..." As Yuu hung up, his complexion must have gone completely pale, for Mikaela and Mahiru jolted when he turned around. "What?"

"What'd she say, Yuu?" Mika asked.

Yuu opened his mouth to tell Mika everything... but he stopped himself. It seemed neither of them had heard his half of the conversation clearly enough to know what was going on. Did Mika really need any more worrying right now? No. So Yuu did something unforgivable: he lied. Though he wouldn't really consider it lying, more tailoring the truth. "She called to tell me that Asuramaru led the Shindos to Shibuya as a distraction." Mika definitely didn't need to know how their leave put the other orphans in danger, nor that Asuramaru may well be planning something all on his own.

"Oh really?" remarked Mahiru loudly. "That's good. Now Mikaela, go take a shower."

He looked back at Yuu, who continued to watch him with that pale-faced expression. "But..."

"I mean it, you fuckin' stink!" she complained, all but shoving him out the door and into the bathroom.

When the door closed to the bathroom a few paces down the hall, Mahiru looked back into Yuu's room. He stared at the dark floorboards with a crease in his brow. "Yuu, what did she actually tell you?"

Yuu's head snapped up with alarm. "Wh-what do you mean? I told Mika everythi –"

Mahiru stepped into the room, crimson eyes softening. "Hey, I know we don't know each other that well since we've just met," she said, "but Shinoa was kind enough to give me a short introduction of your personalities, and from what I can tell, you're the type of guy who would rather take the blame for those he cared for than want them to deal with it. Am I right?"

The corners of Yuu's lips twitched in irony as he looked away. "Really, that's the type of impression Shinoa gave you...?"

"No." Mahiru rested her hands on her hips. "That's the impression I've gotten from you," she said in a more subdued tone. Then sporting artful smirk, she suggested, "Why don't you and I have that chat about what you two should do next, hm~?"

Yuu glanced toward the bathroom, scratching his head. "I don't know, shouldn't we wait for –?"

Mahiru appeared beside him and grabbed hold of one arm. "I _insist_." She stuck a thumb in Yuu's back and prodded him down the hallway, the water of the shower running as they passed the bathroom. She didn't stop prodding him until they had reached the breakfast nook on the opposite side of the house and sat him – then herself – down at the table there.

Setting her hair to one side, Mahiru combed through it a few times with her hands, watching him. Yuichiro waited for her to speak.

"...What?" he finally asked, resisting the urge to scratch his own sweaty head still matted from the stupid gardener's hat Mahiru made him wear during the work that day.

Her eyes remained steady as she stated, devoid of any emotion, as if it was objective reasoning, "You guys don't act like any pair of teenage boys I've ever seen. What is it, best friends? Family outside of family, or...?" Her stare became more serious and Yuu shook his head – and his hands – in front of him.

"I'm just here to help Mika adjust and –"

Mahiru flicked her head back, along with all her hair, squinting those demonic red eyes with a vivacious laugh. "Oh Yuichiro. I don't know what Shinoa told you about me –"

 _Nothing, that's what,_ Yuu filled in for her.

"– but honestly, what're you guys planning to do? Ever since you got here, you've seemed... distant. Did Shinoa exaggerate about your relationship, or…?"

Yuu thought for a moment, averting his eyes from Mahiru's sympathetic gaze, then he shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not sure... I thought bringing him away from his family would help Mika, but he seems more confused than ever. It's not that I want to abandon him or anything or that I regret helping him, but..."

"Then... is that why you lied to him about the phone call?"

Yuu's face flashed up toward hers in annoyance. "What? I didn't lie to him about –"

"What do you take me as? A fool?" Mahiru asked. "As Shinoa's older sister, were you expecting me to be dumb and unsuspecting? No." She rested her elbow on the table and brought a hand to her chin, turning to the window to the trees outside. "I see what's going on here, just as I see what's going on in the outside world where the rest of my family ruins the lives of people who just want to live normally." She pointed briefly outside toward the city. "You don't think I understand?" she asked sincerely, looking at him.

Yuu shrugged, facing one side. "It's not that. I'm just... I mean, both of you have had such different lives than me. My family wasn't a huge corporation full of violent, overprotective servants who would do anything to drag me back to my house. I lived in a small apartment with nothing aside from my headphones to keep me from going crazy. I can't help but wonder if, no matter how much I want to help Mika, I'll always just be on the outside of his world... just trying to do what's right?"

Mahiru nodded slightly, holding Yuu's unsure green gaze. "I understand what you mean. It's just hard to know what 'right' is in this situation. I mean, you shouldn't want to get caught up in this mischief yourself, believe me." Mahiru rolled her eyes and focused on the river running outside. Eventually, she crossed her arms. "Really, the choice is yours on what you want to do, how you want to proceed." She watched him again with those steady crimson eyes.

Yuu waited a moment. The tiles on the floor of the breakfast nook and kitchen area were small, maroon diamonds outlined in white, but inside golden patterns of navy blues and sea foam greens swirled. He became lost within the designs, not knowing where his thoughts were going with this, when suddenly the answer popped out of his mouth. "Then, maybe I should go back to Tokyo and make sure everyone back there is doing okay. I don't think I'm what Mika needs right now."

The shower had been off for a few minutes now, and Mikaela stood behind the kitchen wall with a towel draped around his neck, an arm rubbing his hair dry. Sucking in a deep breath, he turned the corner. The look of hurt in Mika's eyes was one Yuu would never forget.

* * *

 **I am purposely making Mahiru very different from her original character. And by that I mean she is going to actually have personality. In canon, as far as I can tell she's nothing more than a fold for Guren and to supply that "crazy girlfriend" feel to the story. I'm hoping to make her much more insightful and quirky, because she deserves better.**

* * *

 **Mr. Shade, I'm glad you're enjoying the twists and turns in the story's plot~ I hope you like my iteration of Mahiru for the time being? Of course, there will be much more to her later than appears in this chapter alone~ I also hope you're right about the light finding Mika and Yuu at the end of the tunnel. We can only pray. (Says me, the author of the fic. I'm telling yah, I don't plan any of this.)**

 **AngryDreamer, actually, in my research I found out that Mahiru did call herself a forest fairy when she first met Guren because she didn't want him to know she was a Hiiragi. (It was a rather boring interaction and dynamic compared to how it could've been in my opinion.) I mean, especially when compared to Yuu and Mika. I hope the chapter wasn't too boring or anything~ And don't worry, the piano will come later~ (I hope this chapter wasn't too far away from the musical theme... I feel like I'm getting less and less about that, aaah!)** **Oh, thank you for the kind words about my recital as well! ^^**

 **AlwaysAuri, I'm honestly speechless thank you so much for your kind words! o3o I hope the story continues to be as riveting as you described! And I can't believe you said the romance and characters were both perfect... I mean, I do my best, but this is my first time writing this deeply about romance so it's very difficult for me to be able to tell if it's realistic and good or not... Thank you!**

 **And thank you to my other Guest, and to everyone who said nice things regarding my piano recital! The recital itself was quite... heart-pounding. o_o**

* * *

 **This chapter was brought to you in part by improvisation and my busy life. Ah yes, the lame cliffhanger... There gotta be drama sometimes though, right?**

 **I hope you'll leave your thoughts on the chapter, though the end of the school year is busy indeed~**


	16. To Be Loved

Chapter XVI: **To Be Loved**

* * *

Yuichiro was still dirty – his face, denim overalls, and checkered shirt smeared in clumpy, premature dirt, socks drenched. He sat at the table in the small breakfast nook in an alcove leading off from the kitchen with Mahiru across from him. Neither of them paid attention to the sky filling with a crimson, blood-orange sunset beside them, nor to each other. Mikaela was sopping wet and squeaky clean, shiny and pristine, standing in the doorway. The only sounds were those of the drops of water than collected at the ends of Mika's fluffy blond locks and dripped into the puddles on the swirling sea foam green tiles on the floor, ran down his back and legs, underneath the fresh white shirt and pair of black athletic shorts. Yuu stayed where he was, watching Mika, his previous words of abandonment ringing through his ears.

Mahiru acknowledged her presence was inappropriate in this situation and, in one swift motion, lifted herself from her seat, taking up the folds of her black skirt in her hands, and removed herself from the room.

As the sun room's sliding screen door, backyard screen door, and then finally main door closed behind her, each shuddering loudly, Mika's angered expression broke contact with Yuu's fearful one. Watching the floor, the initial anger in those silvery blue eyes dissolved in pure agony. Mika opened his mouth to say something, but Yuu was tired of always being the second one to talk. He stood from his seat and took Mika by the shoulders. "Mika, that wasn't –!"

Mika shoved his arms off, more water falling to the ground, interrupting Yuu with a mere glance. "No, Yuu, you don't have to pretend anymore!" he hollered, arms flying backward, taking a defensive stance. His voice rose until it cracked, and Yuu froze. In the following silence, Mika continued in an almost whisper, "If your family back at Hyakuya is more important to you –"

"It isn't about who's more important!" Yuu hollered back, shaking his head of dirty, matted raven hair.

"You're always caught up in the safety of others," Mika spat at him, "maybe there's no place for me in your heart! Maybe you just can't afford to –!" He stopped and turned away with a scoff, chewing his bottom lip, though there were tears in his eyes.

"Mika," said Yuu, gentler this time. His hands instinctively began reaching up for him, but Yuu caught himself. He could not coerce the answer out of Mika. He needed to know what _Mika_ wanted. "Are you sure I'm what you need right now? Mika?"

Those blue eyes searched him. No matter how hard Mika tried to will the tears away, they lingered in his vision. "Wh-what do you mean…?" he asked quietly.

Relieved to have Mika's attention without the deepest sorrow lined in his cerulean eyes, Yuu tried not to seem too disheartened, only concerned. "I mean – ever since we got here – no, ever since we…" Yuu's lips trembled, doing his best to keep his ears from turning pink. He had to look away momentarily. "Back in the storage room… near the piano… at the orphanage… Ever since then, you've seemed more reserved than ever. I don't want to force you into anything. You know I'll be okay if you… if we… decide… to cut it off…?" Yuichiro said the words as steadily as he could. He really didn't _want_ to cut it off. Mika was the light of his world, his hope and his calm among everything that was wretched and dull about the world. If it weren't for him, Yuu never would have believed anyone was capable of… not even himself.

Frantically shaking his head as the tears escaped down his cheeks, Mika assured, "Yuu, I never said –!"

"I _know_ you never said, Mika," said Yuu, "that's the very reason I'm asking you directly. When I… when I try to get closer to you, you always seem… hesitant, like you can't. I don't want to force you to be something you don't want to be. I won't force you if you'd rather not…"

Mika could tell there was something else Yuu was truly asking, not just about the cuddling or the kissing or even the joking about taking a bath together. Because of Mika's withdrawal from him, Yuichiro doubted how Mikaela felt, doubted everything he hoped was mutual in their relationship – Yuu just didn't know. He doubted that Mika loved him back and honestly, love was something Mika knew very little about. He used to believe he loved his parents, and even Ferid and Krul in a certain familial way, before he realized how heartless they truly were and that a relationship based on physical force was not right. It didn't "make you stronger." True love was something Mika had never experienced before. What he felt around Yuu… it was so new, so different, so safe, calm, and _genuine_ that Mika just didn't know how to react. He could barely understand _why_ Yuu could possibly _want_ to cuddle with him, kiss him, or otherwise… Sharing that kind of closeness with someone without any tricks, barriers, or secrets… Mikaela just wasn't used to it at all, so he never knew how to react other than a guarded hesitation.

Mika noticed something else in Yuichiro though, and long before their kiss in the storage room, which he thought more important to address. "Yuu," Mika started in a quiet voice, carefully planning his words, "you and I are very similar, but… there are still some inevitable differences between us. I –" He caught Yuu's gaze, and now his concern startled Yuu. "Your family. Your _actual_ family, before the Hyakuya Orphanage. I know you don't like talking about them, but you know almost everything about mine and how they've affected me. Though I think there's something you aren't telling me."

"What do you mean?"

The sky was turning redder and none of the lights were on inside, only those in Nagoya City in the distance. The crimson shadow of the sun shone on the outline of Yuu's face, facing away from the window. He was avoiding giving true acknowledgment to Mika's words, simply because of the pain it brought him.

"Yuu…" said Mika in the softest voice he could, moving toward him, a hand touching his shoulder. "There's something you're holding back too."

Yuichiro was blocking the memory like he always did. It only made sense, since it brought him such panic and fear that suppressing made it simply de facto rote by now.

Mika sighed. He really didn't want to cause Yuu to relive whatever memories he was suppressing, but he had to get to the bottom of this somehow. _Now isn't the time._ "Anyway," he said, hand dropping back to his side. "Yuu…"

"Yeah…?"

Yuichiro was still struggling to keep the memories locked behind the rusty, mental bars he had had for years. Mika could see it in his eyes. He spoke slowly so as to help bring him back to the conversation at hand. "I've told you before, I'm just not used to this."

That seemed to reawaken him. "And that's the entire problem, Mika! If you aren't sure of what you want, then I don't want to –"

"I do love you, Yuu," Mika cut in. His voice quivered but he kept his focus on Yuu. "I may not be very good at showing it," he whispered, "but it's the truth… I've just… never really experienced it before," he looked away, "so I'm not really sure how to else to tell you other than to let you lead the way, because… if this isn't love, then I don't know what love is, so…"

The way Mika's voice cracked and he stood unmoving in the doorway, somehow making himself smaller, Yuu felt the years of torment from his parents, from his butler and his mistress, and once again the bruises on Mika's neck – though very faint, were perfectly visible in the red-violet twilight – from the way he spoke. Yuu couldn't hold himself back anymore, and reached for Mika, not really knowing what he was doing. "Mika, I –"

"So you have to tell me!" Mika suddenly burst, halting Yuu in his tracks. "You keep telling me to be open with you and not hide things, well, I expect the same in return!"

"I'm not hiding anything from you, Mika!" Yuu denied, arms raising, hands open. "I just don't want you to be swayed by what I think and keep doing something you don't really want!"

"That's what people do in a relationship, Yuu, sometimes they manipulate each other, in both good ways and bad! Now tell me why!"

"Why what?!" Yuu questioned shrilly, shrugging. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Why you always act like what we have can be broken off at any time, why you can't seem to understand that I love you back and that you don't need to be afraid anymore!"

Yuu scoffed and dropped his arms, rolling his eyes. "Afraid of what?! I'm not –"

"Yes you are," persisted Mika, stepping closer and taking Yuu's shoulders so he couldn't avoid him. "You're avoiding me right now! What are you so afraid of? I like you! I love you! Isn't that enough?!"

Yuu watched Mika with a certain distaste despite the blush on his cheeks, then looked at the floor. "But love is… such a strong word," Yuu mumbled.

"You said it to me first," said Mika, refusing to let go of him or look away, "when we kissed in the storage room."

When Mika said "kiss" Yuu's shoulders tensed slightly under Mika's hold.

"Why are you so reluctant to say it now?"

Yuu still didn't answer.

"Are you afraid of something?" asked Mika. "Please tell me… Do you… do you not love me…?"

Those citrine eyes shot up wildly to Mika's face at that, much to Mika's relief. "N-no, that's not it!"

"Then what, Yuu?!"

"I just –!" Yuu looked away again, cheeks growing brighter as the sun crept lower. "It's just… still a little… weird…"

"Weird?" Mika asked.

"Y-yeah…" Yuu admitted. "I mean, I'm still sorry for what I said in the bathroom, how I reacted which made you miss school, but… we were best friends first, and I've never… really…" Yuu fidgeted under Mikaela's patient gaze, endeavoring to get the words to come out no matter how embarrassing. "I've never really… had a crush on anyone… especially not… another guy… so it's just…"

Mika stood back a little. "Yeah. I understand." He thought for a moment, watching the glittering lights of the city behind Yuu, while Yuu dared glances at his face, hoping he hadn't said something wrong. Finally Mika dropped his hands off of Yuu's shoulders, wearily taking in Yuichiro's sullied and matted appearance. "Do you wanna take a shower first?"

Yuu nodded, following Mika to living room, then past him to the bathroom. "I'll be waiting for you in the living room, okay?" Mika asked, waiting back down the hall.

"Okay." As Yuu closed the door and turned on the light, the white tiles on the floor and walls glared at him. He let out a huge breath and nearly sank to the floor. How did Mika know he was suppressing memories? How had Mika been able to tell that _he himself_ was still hesitant about their relationship?! _All questions for afterward,_ Yuu sighed, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind. He peeled off the denim overalls and checkered shirt and slumped them on the toilet, checking himself in the mirror – yep, smudges at all the places he wiped himself during the day, matted hair looking as greasy as ever. Ridding himself of his undergarments, Yuu passed through the sliding glass door to the other side where the bath – already full of water from when Mika used it – and rolled-up shower nozzle awaited.

Seated gingerly on the stool beside the bath, clean except for his hair, one last rinse with the free shower nozzle washed the final layer of dirt from his hair and skin. Yuu thought… it really _was_ scary the way Mika could read him.

Mahiru arrived back through the backyard then sun room's screen door, into the living room where Mikaela sat in the yellow lamplight awaiting Yuu, flipping through one of the entomology books he'd plucked off of Mahiru's shelves. Rubbing her arms and shivering, Mahiru said, "Ah sorry, are you guys done yet? I couldn't stand being out there in the cold any longer!"

"It's fine," said Mika, looking up from his book, "Yuu's in the shower, but we still have stuff to talk about."

"Ah, okay, I'll just… go upstairs, then…" She crossed the room toward the stairs, still shivering.

When Yuu came out of the shower, dressed in a – for once – blank black T-shirt and grey sweatpants, towel on his head, his hair revealed to already be back to its normal unruly state. He looked quite a lot more relaxed and ready to talk, Mika noted to himself. Scooting over to make room on the cushiony gold-beige fabric couch, green and maroon macaron-shaped pillows stacked on either side, Yuu plopped down beside Mika, throwing his towel on top of Mika's on the couch arm opposite him. Yuu's legs hung halfway off the side, while Mika crossed his legs in front of him on the couch, facing Yuu.

Mika watched him with that imposing, boundless stare for a moment first, causing a squeamish feeling to erupt in Yuu's gut. "You didn't bring up going back to Tokyo just because you were worried about the orphans, did you?"

"Probably not," Yuu agreed, though he hadn't even known the true reason until a few moments ago. Mika waited for him to speak. "I'm just… I want to be with you, Mika… I really do… but… there's a part of me that says we shouldn't… that it would be easier… if we weren't?"

"Are you saying that because you don't want to, or because you're afraid of what other people will think?"

 _Jeez, how are his questions so on-point?_ Yuu lightly rubbed his hands together in his lap in nervousness. "Well no, it's just… all my life, I've never really thought I was… y'know…" He blushed. "I-into guys. I wasn't really into girls but I just didn't really think about it… so having that now is so… Did you know, Mika?" he asked suddenly.

"Know I was into guys?" Mika asked, his hands on his crossed feet. He shrugged. "I knew of the possibility but I didn't think about it much either until…" His cheeks were pink, blue eyes wide, and his lips pursed inward slightly as he finished. "U-until you."

Yuu blushed from Mika's confession, gaze darting to the side. "Oh…"

"Yuu," Mika caught his attention again, Yuu's face setting even with his, "if you'd rather not be in a relationship because you don't want to deal with what else it will likely entail, then…"

"No, no, I want to be with you, Mika!" Yuu assured, rapidly waving his arms in front of him.

"Then what's holding you back?" Mika asked, brow furrowing a little.

"I'm just… also not used to this, I guess…" Yuu admitted. So he made moves on a whim when he had feelings he didn't know what else to do with…

"Then maybe…" Mika said, "we should just take things at our own pace?"

Yuu's face brightened and he nodded. "Yeah! That sounds… better…"

"Then, Yuu, is it okay if I kiss you right now?"

"Wh-wh –!" Yuu's face shot to Mika's, watching him in earnest, waiting for his answer. Yuu's face was already red, but slightly turning away, his face lit up even more. "S-sure… go ahead."

Yuu didn't look up as Mika leaned forward, his weight drawing Yuu closer on the cushiony couch. He waited, heart pounding, for Mika to take his cheek in one hand and to see those cerulean eyes so near his face before –

A quick peck on the cheek was all it actually was, and then Mika drew swiftly back, only a few inches though, seeing how Yuu would react. Yuu flipped his head immediately toward Mika. The tender sensation of Mika's soft, pale lips on his cheek – however short – was enough to send shivers of pleasure all down Yuu's spine. Mikaela remained close, and Yuichiro waited for Mika to say something, to lean back, _something_ , but suddenly Yuu found himself entranced by Mika's timid yet desiring expression. About to steal a kiss of his own, Yuu brought an arm up to grasp Mika's cheek, when he saw the reddish-purple bruise on his neck.

"It's okay, Yuu," Mika whispered, taking Yuu's hand and pressing it against his cheek when he hesitated. Yuu shivered from the lustful tone in Mika's voice alone, his eyes catching Mika's. "It doesn't hurt anymore," Mika assured him.

"But still…"

Mika used a hand to bring Yuu's eyes on his, directing his chin. "It's okay, Yuu. You can kiss me." This time his voice was no longer laced by desire but more of a timid, acquiescent suggestion.

Yuu waited another moment, searching Mika's eyes for any sign of reluctance. Finding none and unable to hold himself back anymore, Yuu pounced on top of Mika, kissing him fully on the mouth, tongue and all. Mika kissed him back, their breaths shortened yet in sync, and then, arms still around each other, Yuichiro leaned back and burrowed his face into Mika's shoulder. Mika jolted a little at the gesture but he reminded himself this was Yuu. Yuu wouldn't hurt him as Ferid had. Their hearts raced but now Mika's slowed, feeling Yuu's warm weight on top of him, clinging onto him. Cleaned and preened, their hair smelling of peach shampoo, their bodies fitted together seamlessly, the faint smell of a slushy garden and linen air freshener in the environment around them. They just laid there in the lamplight, listening only to the occasional winds around the outside of Mahiru's rickety house, or cars honking in the distance…

When he felt Yuu trembling against him, Mika started. "Yuu?" Yuichiro inhaled a sharp breath against Mika's shoulder, and Mika repositioned himself to lift Yuu off to see his face.

Tears, as fat as grapes and clear as water, shimmered in those emerald eyes in the dimmed light, slipping quickly down Yuu's cheeks. Hovering above Mikaela, the tears fell on Mika's face in turn, his bright eyes wide, not understanding.

"Mi-Mika… I…"

There was so much confliction in Yuu's expression. Mika didn't know what to ask, where to start, but as Yuu sniffled and retreated an arm to his face, tears still flowing, Mika thought he understood.

He used a hand to brush Yuu's tears away, smiling gently up at him.

"I-I was sure you'd be angry at me for saying I wanted to go back to Tokyo, Mika…" Yuu cried. "I was sure you'd tell me it was for the best a-and then I would be alone… I was sure you would want nothing to do with me after I said what I did in the bathroom, that you would think I didn't…" His voice broke out into a fit of gentle sobs.

"I was angry, Yuu," said Mika, softness to his eyes at how Yuu stuttered the last few words, "but… never angry enough to stop being your friend. I simply couldn't, no matter how hard I tried. Even when I tried to push you away, even when I refused to have dinner with you at the orphanage, when I missed an entire week of school, lost and confused in my room trying to understand what could possibly be wrong with me for wanting you as more than a friend, or when I tried to stay at my house in fear of what my servants would do to you, or tried to take your first 'I love you' as only you being confused about how you felt, only caring for me because of my piano, not despite it… Even after all of that, you still wanted to be my friend. You didn't ever push me away, whether I was a Shindo, whether I wanted nothing to do with you… I was so used to pushing people away that I just didn't know how to react when you showed genuine interest…"

Yuu's tears had stopped, and again he was entranced by the way Mika shyly looked away, the deep blush spread across his cheeks as he did. Leaning down to him, Yuu continued to look into those eyes as his crisp raven bangs fell across Mika's blond ones. This only made Mikaela blush more when he looked back at Yuu. "Mika, I could never leave you. You're…" _You're most important to me in this world,_ was what he was about to say. But that wasn't entirely what he meant. "I-I love you, Mika," Yuu stammered before he could think too much about it. He burned hot with Mika watching him so curiously, pressed against him. "I've loved you since the day I heard you playing piano," murmured Yuu. "I've loved you since you were the first person who felt real to me, who saw me as I was, not as the kid who wanted to ignore the world and skip out on school… but as me… just me…"

Mika's mouth hung open for a moment. Then his lips spread in a smile. "Hm, just me…" he repeated. "I like the sound of that…"

Yuu leaned off of Mika and twisted his neck, slowly moving in to kiss him again. Showing no sign of second thoughts, this kiss was much slower, and Yuu could feel Mika craning his neck up toward him to better reach. Their breaths were synchronized and surprisingly smooth as they licked each other around the lips and chin, sometimes delving inside or swirling around each other, slowly and gently. Mika gradually sat up while they were kissing to better reach Yuichiro and wrap his arms around his shoulders, Yuu's hands clasping Mika's cheeks. After a few more moments, they stopped again, arms around each other, breaths shallow.

As they looked into the other's eyes, a voice broke the silence, "Wow, Shinoa was right."

Yuu and Mika nearly fell off the couch at Mahiru's loud declaration as she stood at the bottom of the stairs. Arms swishing on either sides of her black skirt, she bounded into the living room without a pause. "You two _are_ pretty touchy. So do either of you want dinner or…?"

"HOW LONG WERE YOU STANDING THERE?!" Yuichiro screeched, pink in the face, clutching the back of the couch. Mika sat on the other end with a hand to his lips, almost looking shell-shocked, knees drawn up to his chest.

"I've been sitting at the bottom of the stairs for the past twenty minutes trying to see if you guys were done. The lights were still on but I didn't hear anything so –" Her red eyes flickered over to Mika as well. "Dinner?"

Mika nodded, blushing when he glanced at Yuu. "Y-yes please…"

As Mahiru left, her socks falling dignifiedly across the wooden planks then tiled floor, Yuichiro sighed, glancing at Mika who was now turned the other way, watching the dark sky, too embarrassed to make eye contact. Slumping over the back of the couch, Yuu groaned endlessly to himself with such embarrassment of their earlier conversation and actions. Mika didn't feel any less so and kept his head trained out the window to the sun room and backyard.

Their towels remained on the couch arm, dripping water.

* * *

 **~Ruhig~**

* * *

Dinner had been almost unbearable with how awkward the boys acted – even while just passing the soy sauce they were so careful as not to touch the other's hand that it took them nearly a full minute to get the bottle a few meters across the table. Mahiru almost wished they would go back to before.

After another marvelous array of Japanese cuisine spread out before them, Yuu and Mika said good night to their disgruntled, lavender-haired host who climbed the stairs to her room, and headed for their rooms at the end of the hallway. Before Yuu entered, he remembered why last night had been so lonely, the next day with its misgivings. Turning around, he saw Mika hadn't opened the door to his room either. Yuu wanted to ask. Without saying a word, Mika just looked to the door between their two rooms as his answer. Rotating the handle and peeping inside, there lay a bed, size single, large enough for both of them.

Lights off and situated under the thick, cotton covering, Mika lay with his back to the wall, Yuu resting beside him. Eventually Yuu turned so his back was facing the wall too, and Mika curled his arms warmly around him, hugging him closer to him, making a content breathy noise as he pressed his nose into the back of Yuu's neck. Yuu almost blew his circuits right then. It had been an exhausting day, what with their journey the night before, helping Mahiru in the backyard, and their long talking. Yet Yuu could not simply close his eyes and go to sleep. Not only was Mika's breath tickling his neck and all down his back, but he still wanted to speak with him, make sure everything was okay.

"Mika?" he whispered.

"Hmmmm?" Mika slurred, obviously already very much out of it.

Yuu turned slightly toward him, disrupting Mika's peaceful snooze so that he opened his eyes in the darkness.

"Did I ever tell you? What I wished for for my birthday?"

Mika shook his head a little. "No, you didn't."

"I wished that I would be able to hear you play piano whenever I wanted," said Yuu, laughter in his voice. "I knew it was a stupid wish at the time, and I obviously don't want you to play for me unless you want to, but –" Yuu's head fell back against the pillow. "I miss hearing you play…"

Mikaela secured his arms around Yuu again, pulling him closer. "We'll ask Mahiru about it tomorrow, mmkay~?"

"Okay…"

"And Yuu," Mika said as clearly as possible, trying not to slur with fatigue, "for the record, I just want you to know that you don't ever have to talk to me about your family. I can understand why you wouldn't want to, but if you ever need –"

"Mika."

He opened his eyes again, seeing only the back of Yuu's raven head. He watched Yuu with disconcertment. "What?"

"You were right," said Yuu. "About me hiding things, I mean… not just about… how I felt, but about my family too. I know basically everything there is to know about your family and how they've treated you. I mean, I can guess a lot of it… so maybe it's about time I let you know."

It was extremely late but Mika was awake now. If Yuu was willing and wanting to talk about his family, he was surely not going to turn him down.

"They didn't ever really show that they cared about me, as I've said before," said Yuu. He stayed facing away from Mikaela as he spoke, but his arms were ever present around his torso, as if guiding him in his darkest of nights. "They were always fighting and would attack me if I tried to get in the middle of it… so I relied on my music to get me out of there, in any way possible. One day…" Yuu inhaled a deep breath, closing his eyes. The bloody and fiery images rushed through his mind in a wave of terror, yet he continued steadily. "They caught me sneaking outside after one of their fights, and so they put locks on the windows to keep me from getting out. It was that night that… while I was listening to one of my favorite songs, I heard my mother scream louder than she ever had before. I went outside to see what happened, and what I saw was… blood everywhere… and a knife in her hand. My father was standing there, weeping over her body, but when he saw me, he picked up the knife and came at me with it…"

" _D-dad, what're you –?" His headphones, no longer ringing with_ Eleanor Rigby _, fell silent, and only the searing sensation and horrible_ shhhnck _ing sound of a butcher's knife cutting through flesh and bone echoed through his eardrums. He might have been screaming but he could hear nothing else but his pulse, see only the shadow of a man hanging over him as his vision grew fainter and fainter, consciousness darkening. Blood pooled out of his shoulder and onto the ground around him and, facing the apartment's walk-in kitchen, the man was standing there again, holding something – what looked to be a small cartridge and a container – matches and gasoline. He poured the container onto the floor around his mother and dropped one of the lit matches on top of her. Her body and the kitchen immediately caught aflame. The smell of smoke and burning flesh was the last he remembered before…_

"I was paralyzed with fear, unable to move, bleeding everywhere," Yuu pushed through his story, voice strained. "Suddenly I awoke at the hospital, and someone told me it had been weeks since the incident. But I was informed I no longer had any parents, that my mother was dead and my father had been taken under custody. Some months later, some guy named Guren showed sympathy for me when no one else would take me in, and offered I go to his school, that he would ensure the transfer was smooth. Shinoa was a good mentor but, there was still a part of me that was wondering why…"

"Why what…?" Mikaela asked, sensing Yuu needed some incentive to finish, as he had fallen hushed and still.

"Why my parents… why I'd been so attached to them. Even though I found friends like Yoichi, Kimizuki, and Mitsuba, none of them really understood… but then… I saw you… and I thought…" Yuu began trembling again. Tears fell down Yuu's face as he cried, "it was possible for someone to love me after all…"

"It's okay, Yuu," Mika said gently, holding Yuu as he sobbed, his chest contracting, hands on Mika's arms which were linked around him. "I'm right here… and I'll never stop loving you, no matter what happens…"

With that in mind, Yuichiro knew he finally understood what it was like – to have someone love him. He knew that no matter what came their way, they would face it together. As long as they were together, they could work through anything, whether it be the Shindos, the Hiiragis, or them against the entire world…

Mika pressed his head into the back of Yuu's hair again and sighed deeply, winding down for a good night's sleep. "Sweet dreams, Yuu."

"G'night, Mika…"

And with Mika snoring beside him, his arms encircled around his chest and torso, Yuu knew his dreams would be very sweet indeed.

* * *

 **My girl Miru drew my concept for Mahiru Hiiragi in this fic under the Tumblr URL "miryart"! Her rendition of Mahiru looks brilliant and exactly as I imagined so I highly encourage you to take a look! *o* Also, I wrote and posted a MikaYuu one-shot titled** _ **Here With You**_ **(when I should've been writing this fic), and I drew my own concept for Yuu from this fic and posted it on my Tumblr and DeviantArt to anyone who's interested~ Once again my URL is on my bio and my username on DA is NayruElric.**

 **I know a lot of people were displeased with the events of the latest chapter and felt that the musical theme is being abandoned, (in fact I don't think I've never lost so many favs due to one chapter,) and frankly, I agreed, but I could not simply go back to everything being wonderful and musical without some development in Yuu and Mika's relationship. The story will be taking a quite different tone from here on out, hopefully one that will be much more desirable~ To be quite honest, I'm not sure how much longer this story will be. Thank you for your support although this story has had may ups and downs. I hope the chapter was satisfactory and helped make up for the previous flops in fluffiness… ;;;**

 **I do hope to hear your thoughts on the chapter below~**


	17. Lingering Scars

Chapter XVII: **Lingering Scars**

* * *

In the mirror on the bathroom wall, Yuu saw his own half-naked reflection. Pawing precariously at the stitches in his right side, now mostly healed, there remained a ghastly scar on his honeyed skin: paler hues and inky lacerations slashed across his hip like an abstract painting, haphazardly marking him. The wound had ached and wept blood the last four days without end, it seemed, but Yuu couldn't stand the bandages sticking to him any longer, itching to see what Ferid had done to him.

There was a knock at the door and Yuu jumped.

"Yuu? Are you in here?"

"Yeah, be right out!" he called to Mika's voice, hastily yanking his shirt over his head.

"Okay… we're waiting for you for breakfast."

Mika's presence disappeared down the hallway and Yuu sighed, releasing the tension he'd felt at the thought of Mika walking in on him. Glancing at the mirror into his own eyes, which looked contented yet strained, his cheeks were still heated. That morning hadn't been much to speak of, despite having awakened in the same bed as Mikaela – they'd found themselves no longer laying so close together, and Mika bunched up with all the blankets. Standing there, watching his own reflection, everything they'd spoken of the night before came rushing back into Yuichiro's mind, like an hourglass shattering across the white stainless tiles on the floor. The intense fires of his past, the embarrassment, and –?

Yuu arrived in the breakfast nook connected to the alcove in the kitchen with a full view of Nagoya's tallest landmarks – the majestic cinema Midland Square, sharp TV Tower, and spiraling Mode Gakuen among them – in the clear morning air. He pulled up a chair. With awareness of their situation still muddling his thoughts, Yuu caught sight of the arcing scars on Mika's neck, though nearly faded.

"Want any eggs, Yuu?" Mika asked as he turned to him, startling Yuu out of his trance.

"Uh yeah, sure…" Waiting with his hands pressed against the table as Mika passed the food, Mahiru eyed Yuu as she sipped her coffee, newspaper and empty plate spread out before her. She wore her lavender hair in a messy bun, tendrils of hair sticking out here and there around her neat, straight-cut bangs, a loose dark purple flannel across her chest, white shirt beneath, and black pants – and of course her thick, swirly glasses set beside her empty plate. Yuu and Mika stayed in the clothes they'd been wearing since the night before: Yuu, a blank black shirt and grey sweatpants, Mika, a white shirt and black athletic shorts.

Once breakfast was over and the dishes finished, Yuu stretched his arms over his head, groaning in exaltation, when something struck him. "Oh, Mika, remember? We were gonna ask Mahiru something."

"What?" Mika looked at him with confusion, but Yuu was already beside Mahiru, head inclined down to her in earnest.

"You wouldn't happen to know where a piano would be around here, would you?"

"I would actually," said Mahiru. A finger flew skyward. "There's one upstairs."

Balling his hands into fists Yuu called out "Yes!" in ecstasy, then with shining eyes said, "Mika, let's go!"

"Hold on," said Mahiru.

Yuu looked at her slowly. "What is it?"

"Who said I would let you play it? Maybe I have more chores for you to do; your help in the yard will definitely make gardening much easier this spring."

Turned toward the stairs, both Yuu and Mika waited, holding their breaths.

Mahiru's austere expression crumbled away and buoyant laughter rang throughout the wooden halls. "I'm kidding," she said. "The piano is in the biggest room directly ahead of the stairs. But if you take one step into any of my study rooms I'll personally behead both of you. _Capisci?_ "

"Yes, ma'am," Yuu answered in an unsteady voice, sensing absolutely nothing jubilant about that last part.

At the top of the stairs was an open attic-like view. The floorboards crinked beneath their feet, three doors ahead, the largest, in the center, leading to an open room with bay windows. Stationed above the tree line surrounding Mahiru's house, a full view of the forest enclosing Nagoya City was given, even grander than the view of the river in the wall-length windows of the elegant dining room. The room was a pastiche of a large French apartment, with a triangular ceiling and singular circular window above the line of others, white walls, and pink wooded floor. To the left was a desk cluttered with leafy plants of many different greens and old books and scientific papers on botany and biology, many trailing onto the floor, a fan in the corner. To the right was the object of interest: a cherry wood, deep brown upright piano, golden pedals and fragmented ivory keys – real whalebone ivory tinted slightly yellow from the years, and the dark ebony wood keys. The other pianos – at the orphanage and even Mika's baby grand at the Shindo Manor – were merely an imitation of the history behind this piano, so old and polished, yet so humble, waiting with its cover up, welcoming any who would give it the honor of being played.

"Why would she keep a piano all the way up here…?" Mika questioned aloud. Pointing his chin to the fan in the other corner to answer Yuu, he added, "The humidity up here can't be good for the backboard." Behind the piano were tubes with gauges that would blink red if it needed water in the winter and a dehumidifier for summer, but there were also more plants on the piano's top, with vines nearly reaching down to the keyboard on the top, much to Mika's dismay.

Without waiting for Yuu's prompt to do so, Mikaela sat down at the matching piano bench and took a deep breath, running his fingers along the keys. "This is real ivory…" he murmured.

Yuu stood waiting for Mika to do something.

The last time Mika had played was when they first kissed… neither of them could forget that, so as Mika finally strung his shoulders, arms, and fingers into position, he felt his cheeks heat up and conviction waver as an effeminate sound broke throughout the attic.

A march of minor tones trapped Yuu in a sphere of wonderful anticipation, likened to that of a small child, then descended into a daring question. The bold tones of governments and political figures long lost to grandeur, pomp and circumstance overwhelmed everything until the tiny wayward events of everyday life, often thought of as insignificant, were brought together in a marvelous procession of tones. Mikaela's fingers hit the keys in a wonderful, fluent wave of motion, without stopping, and it was as if instead of playing the piano, he conducted an entire orchestra, an entire universe of people, places, and happenings so insignificant, which was what made it all the more charming.

The theme returned in the bold rondo and the march of minor tones rolled on yet again, desperately, with its soft then increasing inquisition of the common people, striking doubt and fear into those in power. The governmental march returned, this time more desperate, struggling to reassert their control. When finally it was given up, and the powerful mingled with the common people, delicate acknowledging their differences until the ending where they all interspersed as One!

Something had happened during that song to which Yuu had never heard before: Mika's fingers had slipped a couple times and he'd made a few noticeable mistakes. It was apparent he felt extremely foolish for it, for he didn't look at Yuu with that triumphant gleam in his eyes when he finished as he normally would, only sat on the piano bench stuck in place, knowing Yuu had heard yet praying he hadn't. "Th-that was _Alla Turca_ by Mozart," said Mika, cheeks lit with embarrassment. "I'm still not very good at playing it and I haven't been able to practice much lately because of everything else, so –"

"Are you kidding, Mika?!" Yuu burst, his excitement and incredulity at Mika's self-deprecation almost tearing him apart.

"No?" Mika asked, brows furrowed, honestly confused.

"It sounded brilliant!"

Mika scoffed a little, not amused. "Yuu, don't be so –"

"You think I could play that well?"

"No but still I don't think –"

"Mika, Mika, Mika…" Yuu bent down with a hand on Mika's shoulder, shaking his head. "When will you realize your piano is the best thing in this universe?"

Mikaela couldn't think up another retort. His lips flopped helplessly as fragments of argumentative points endeavored to escape.

Yuu meant every word of it. Yes, Mika had made some mistakes, but it had hardly – if at all – undermined the wondrous atmosphere of the song, of the room, of Mika's very _presence_ as he played it. It was truly a sight, sensation, and sound to behold.

Mika's face lit up immediately when he thought of something. "That's right! I was going to teach you how to play!"

Yuu's expression went from relaxation to fear in less than half a second. "Wh-what?!"

"Here, sit down beside me!" Mika scooted over on the bench to make room.

"Uhh, that's fine, I like listening to you –"

"No, come on!" Mika grabbed Yuu's wrist and before Yuu knew it he was sitting with his thigh against Mika's and his hands on the piano keys. "What do you know how to play?"

Yuu thought a minute, counting off on his fingers. "Well I taught myself all the basics, like nursery rhyme songs and some level one beginner's stuff, but otherwise… it's been slow-going."

"I'll teach you a really easy song then," said Mika. "Just listen to it first."

Before Yuu could protest Mika plunged into another piece, which started with a solemn yet magical ring to it. It seemed a lonely spirit had possessed the piano, begging for attention, believing no one would give it, getting more and more mad at this crisis. Until finally, after lamentations and pleas, the spirit broke out in anger, doing everything it could to call out despite its disposition – at times shredding the piano keys to bits. At one last cry for help, it accepted the lonely position it had come to, frozen with grief.

The title said it all: called _The Ghost In Our Piano_ by Nancy Faber, Mika told him. It did look and sound much easier than the other songs Mika had played, but there were still moments when his hands crawled all up and down the piano, his notes screaming so loudly that Yuu was sure it would take him years to master it.

"I don't know, Mika…"

"Please, Yuu?"

"Well…"

Mika was visibly enjoying himself with Yuichiro next to him on the piano, and doing all he could to keep him there. Yuu couldn't possibly demand that he continue to play by himself. "…Alright fine. How do you start?"

Mika nearly hopped around in his seat. "First you set your hands right here – like this."

When Yuu tried to place his hands on top of Mika's, Mika quickly informed him, "An octave higher! We can't both be playing the same keys at the same time!"

"O-oh, okay…" said Yuu, speedily correcting his ways and switching back and forth between the position of his hands and Mika's, trying to keep the embarrassment off his face.

"Okay next, you – let's just start with the right hand. You play an arpeggiated D minor chord first is all."

"A what?" Yuu repeated, breathless.

"Like this." Using his thumb, middle finger, and pinkie, Mika played a simple broken chord that Yuu copied. "Right. Then you twist your wrist slightly to the side and play C sharp and F sharp with your first and fourth fingers –"

"Please speak in a language I can understand, Mika," said Yuu, already exasperated. "You're going too fast!"

"Just watch what I do, then!" said Mika.

Mika slowly played and then Yuu copied, repeating the measures. "Ahg! This would be a lot easier if we had the music! How can you memorize all this stuff?!"

"It's just what I do. Now let's try adding the left hand."

As Mika instructed him, Yuu did his best to concentrate, but really his mind was focused on Mika's thigh resting against his, on Mika's arms which moved so effortlessly, shoulder brushing against his every so often.

Ever since that morning, Yuu had been overcome by the possibilities eating away at his mind, at how his heart skipped a beat every time Mika looked at him, his gentle chastisements of "No, Yuu, like this…" Mika's deft fingertips directing his. It had happened before a few times, – during class, in the bathroom, – but never like this, never this intensely.

At some point Mika seemed to realize Yuu was lost in his own little world and asked what was wrong with such genuine concern in his face that Yuu became nearly entirely red.

"I-I'm really sorry, Mika," Yuu apologized, taking his hands off the piano, a hand quickly brought to the back of his head, the other in his lap. "I'm having a lot of trouble focusing."

Mika watched him for another moment until he thought he understood what this was about. "Would you like to try again~?" he inquired smoothly.

The rolling, knowing tones of his voice sent shivers down Yuu's spine. Without looking at him, Mika's hands took hold of Yuu's, firmly but soft, and he placed Yuu's hands on the keys in the right position again, this time in the octave the song was meant to be played, guiding Yuu's hands through the playful grimness of the first section. Yuichiro tried even harder to focus on what he was doing, now that Mika was watching him closely. He got through the beginning at a snail's tempo but without mistakes nonetheless. Mika's hands let go of his wrists the moment it was over. Yuu whipped his head toward him, catching sight of his blush. Still bent over the keyboard, Mika noticed the asking expression in Yuu's face and his shyness. He leaned forward, and with a hand under Yuu's chin, softly kissed his parted lips.

This kiss was different somehow. The others had been statements, rushes of emotions unsaid that needed to be expressed. This was more tender, more sincere. Its meaning was not merely the reassurance of a connection, but the craving of something… Yuu leaned back from the kiss with a lost look on his face. His head exploded and he could tell by Mika's expression that he was left equally as ravaged, but something else was there too, something Yuu couldn't place his fingers on, though they remained on the piano…

Mika cleared his throat abruptly. "See? You got the entire first section down in a cinch," he said meekly.

Yuu looked at his hands, cogently forgetting the previous heat in the air. "Y-you're right…!"

"Yuu –" Mika began, bringing a hand up but stopped before Yuu noticed, put it back down. Biting his lip, he looked away toward the plants and books on Mahiru's desk. "What do you think all this is for?"

Again Yuu pushed the heated thoughts from his mind. "I'm not sure."

"She seems rather invested in her plants, doesn't she?" Mika asked, standing from the piano bench with both hands on his hips.

Yuu stood and ambled unsteadily away from the piano toward the table as well. Among the books on botany were a series of small metal contraptions that almost looked like medical instruments – tongs and all sizes of needles, vials, and test tubes.

"What is Mahiru anyway, a chemist?" Yuichiro asked.

Mikaela shrugged. They looked at each other, both knowing the curiosity was too overwhelming not to investigate. Exiting the spacious piano room, Yuu and Mika took a sharp right to the first room and entered. Inside it was dark, – darker than either of them thought possible on such a clear morning, – blue, green, pink, and yellow neon lights in the tubes bubbling across the wall – and the large one in the center. When Mika stepped inside, there was suddenly a hand on his shoulder, below the faded purple bruise on his neck. They turned around to see Mahiru's slightly shorter, yet no less menacing crimson gaze fixated coolly on them.

"What was it I told you about sneaking around in my stuff, hm~?" Her voice alone could have killed them if she so employed.

* * *

 **~Veloce~**

* * *

It was during normal days at school when they heard the gossip:

"That kid, Shindo Mikaela; where'd he disappear off to?"

"I heard that he was expelled for being part of some conspiracy."

"For real?!"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Then what about the other student? What was his name?"

"Amane Yuichiro, was it?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Last I remember he went charging out of here to Principal Ichinose's office."

"Oh yeah, the teacher was so mad!"

"What happened to both of them? Were they arrested for bootlegging or something?"

"No, I heard it was a conspiracy."

"What kind of conspiracy?"

"Something to do with the government and a bunch of scandals, like how they're always mooching the public out of tax money for extravagant excursions. I'm not sure."

"Wow, you really think they got wrapped up in something as big as that?"

"Why else would they both have disappeared one day?"

Numerous snippets of these conversations were the talk of the junior class. The four remaining members of the Squad heard these rumors – and many more – often, from faceless bystanders who used Yuu and Mika's plight for a mere pastime.

Schoolbooks hugged close to his chest, Yoichi made his way down one of the halls of Hiiragi High. Olive-green eyes trained to the floor, he looked up slowly to the taller boy before him, books resting against his shoulder.

Pink hair, glasses, ear piercings, and loose school attire, Shiho's look was just as thug as ever. "Hey."

"Hi, Kimizuki."

The taller student fell into step beside Yoichi. "Don't let those rumors get you down. They're just troublemakers looking for drama, wherever they can find it. You know that, right?"

"I know I shouldn't, but…" Yoichi's gaze fell to the side, then he looked ahead with a different despairing air about him. "I've known Yuu longer than anybody, besides Shinoa. I annoyed him at first," he admitted, scratching one cheek and giggling, "but I know that he wasn't ever really happy to be here." He looked up in a resilient tenderness to his voice. "After he met Mikaela, it was like he was an entirely different person."

Shiho turned ahead, passing students on either side. "Yeah. I know what you mean," he sighed.

"Are you sure they'll be all right?" Yoichi asked, looking intriguingly toward Shiho. "I mean, they're so far away from us in Nagoya now, and we have no idea when they'll be coming back…"

"Unfortunately there isn't much we can do for right now," stated Shiho in a single breath.

Yoichi nodded, watching the floor again. "Yeah…"

When Shiho stopped, resting a hand reassuringly on Yoichi's shoulder, he tried a smile. "They'll have a plan to come back eventually, and when they do, we'll do whatever possible to help them. You can be sure of it."

Yoichi nodded again, this time more exuberantly. "Yeah!"

Just then the silence hit them and only the sound of boots clicking against the other end resonated throughout the halls. Shiho spun around, drawing his books to one side to be faced with a blonde officer in full uniform, flouncing toward them.

"Would you two happen to be Kimizuki Shiho and Saotome Yoichi?"

"Maybe," Shiho gruffed. "Who's asking?"

The officer held out her badge, a miniature platinum, gold, and neon green metal shield with the Hiiragi Family insignia on it. "My name is Sanguu Aoi. I've been ordered to take you two into custody for questioning."

"Custody…?" Shiho had no sooner said so than two more officers appeared behind Aoi. Yoichi gasped, taking a few steps back, as did Shiho, whose arms spread out slightly in defense. "Wh-what's going on here?" he demanded.

"We just want to question you about the events leading up to the disappearances of Shindo Mikaela and Amane Yuichiro," she said robotically, as if someone else were speaking for her through a hidden microphone. She viewed them with a fixed apathy. "If you cooperate there will be no need for violence."

"Violence?! Listen here, you –"

Before Shiho could call them any names, the two accompanying officers sidestepped both him and Yoichi and had their hands pinned behind their backs, forced on their knees. Aoi walked forward, a hand on her hip, glaring down at them coldly with evergreen eyes. Shiho glared up at her, Yoichi's panicked expression searching the hallway for someone who would hear his call for help – only to remember that it would be futile anyway. These officers had Hiiragi badges, granting them full access to just about anything their hearts desired. The boys struggled against their captors but to no avail; the officers had caught them off-guard and now had complete control.

"Now, I'm going to ask again," Aoi alleged, leaning forward toward them, her slick, side blonde ponytail extending past her chin. "Where are Amane Yuichiro and Shindo Mikaela?"

* * *

 **~Deest~**

* * *

Yuu and Mika slammed the door closed the moment Mahiru's hand touched Mika's shoulder, her deadly voice droning at them throughout the open attic.

"W-we weren't doing anything suspicious!" said Yuu, smiling nervously, a hand to the back of his head. "We… we got lost! Right, Mika?"

"Y-yeah, that's exactly what happened!" Mika averred quickly, nodding.

"I mean there's only three doors –" started Yuu, making gigantic hand gestures as he spoke.

"Right," continued Mika, "and you know, only three doors, it's hard to know which one is –"

"Enough," Mahiru ordered, unblinking. Her voice held no emotion – no anger or even disappointment. It frightened both of them more than either of the two logical reactions. "You two deliberately disobeyed me, when I asked you not to touch anything. You don't go poking your noses through someone else's house. I was nice enough to let you two stay here but my business is mine. I think you have enough of your own problems to deal with right now rather than snooping around someone else's house, don't you?" They scooted ever-so-slowly away from Mahiru on the rosy pink wood floor as she spoke, trying not to let her nagging, entirely devoid of any emotion, affect them. "Well?" she pressed. Her crimson irises glowed in the shadowy entryway, shifting between them, the occasional random tendril of hair falling across her harsh gaze from her topknot.

"Y-yes, ma'am…" squeaked Yuu, head bowed to her.

"Now, if you aren't willing to keep your noses to yourself, then perhaps I won't let you up here anymore," she said, resting both hands on the waistline of her black pants. "Not even to play the piano."

"We're really sorry!" repeated Yuu immediately.

Mika nodded. "Y-yeah, we were just –!"

"Just what?" Mahiru demanded. Now there was an emotion in her voice: irritation. The longer they tried to justify their snooping around, the more irritated she would get.

"We just wanted to know what you do," said Yuu.

Her red eyes locked onto Yuu. "What I do?"

"Yeah, as a profession," said Mika.

Mahiru just stared at them. "That's no concern of yours," she finally said, realizing they were waiting.

Naturally, that was cause for alarm. And suddenly Yuu recalled what Guren had said over the phone, that the Hiiragis and Shindos were constantly looking for a moment when the other was tipped off balance so the more stable family could fully take over all the other's assets. What Shinoa said when he asked about Mahiru for help in getting out of Tokyo: _"She's… been doing some pretty shady things, making her on the high priority watch list for trouble."_ And her words of warning: _"Yuu, I don't want you and Mikaela getting mixed up in my family's power hierarchy."_ And what Mika said that first night after they'd arrived at Mahiru's house: _"You noticed, right, Yuu? Her eyes… they were red. Yuu, I'm not sure I like this."_ And that last night in the orphanage when Yuu had asked Mika what could be delaying the Shindo servants: _"I don't know… maybe… power relations?"_ And all Yuu could see was Ferid, grinning widely as his teeth dug into Mika's skin –

"Mahiru," said Yuu. "I think there's something you aren't telling us."

She laughed, and suddenly that laugh was haunting, sardonic and cavalier as she threw her head back, those lavender tendrils swaying around her face, much like a certain butler. It made the hair on the back of Yuu's neck stand on end. Her reply was most chilling of all. "Of course there's something I'm not telling you."

The lying, thieving, and conniving; the plundering, pillaging, and murdering; it was all a part of their game. The dance between not just the Hiiragis and Shindos, no, but in all the families surrounding them as well; the Ichinoses, the Sanguus, and all those connected to them, and all those connected to those people connected to them. It went on and on, in one endless string of connections, for everyone was bound to know someone who knew more people, all the way until the lowest of the low was found, where even the lowly Amanes would be used as the basis for all others to climb atop of. It was all one spiderweb of lies, of conspiracies, scandals, and so much more: the manipulation of people's very lives.

The fact that Mika understood his position and had come this far away from them was something. Most were too blinded by the riches they attained in the process, uncaring to what they had to steal, whom they had to kill… or whose child they had to manipulate to maintain their position. Mika hadn't cared for any of that however; only to pursue a life of honest emotions, though difficult it may be for him now after so many bad influences.

Yuu saw all of this in a blur of brilliant realizations that made all of the dots connect at once – all of the misdoings and the horrible things that were wrong with his small scope of the world. All the things he had tried so desperately day in and day out to ignore with music, flawless, boundless, undying music… by running away, allowing himself to be swept away in unawareness and never think twice, that his position below others was preordained by fate, and not luck of the draw.

"Yuichiro?"

Mahiru's voice slapped him back to reality, pushing the current question on his mind. "Then… what are you looking to gain?" he asked, as if everyone had understood, felt, and seen the revelations reeling through his subconscious that very second.

Mahiru smiled that beautiful, twisted, demonic smile. Before she was pushed to answer Yuu's question, there was the vibration of his iPhone in his pocket. He thought of ignoring it until she answered, his arms burning with the effort to stay in place. Something about how it rang – like a pernicious tattoo against his thigh – told him that leaving this call for later would be far more disastrous than picking it up.

"Hello?"

It was Shinoa's voice, and Mitsuba was sobbing in the background. "Yuu! We tried to stop them… they've taken Yoichi and Kimizuki!"

* * *

 **I've been reading** _ **The Great Gatsby**_ **so I might sound a lil like Fitzgerald because ooooh boyy, do I love this book. I can hardly wait to finish it up! (Only two chapters left!)**

 **Anywho, this chapter was shorter and took a while, but I hope you like it anyway~ Thank you for everyone's encouraging reviews! Including you, my wonderful Guests/anons! ^^ I hope to continue to portray Yuu's and Mika's relationship in as flawless a fashion, and hope that nothing ever feels out of place or forced~**

 **I always love hearing your opinions and predictions on the story's plot, since I never know where this story is going myself (psht). Please leave all thoughts below~**


	18. Under Fire

Chapter XVIII: **Under Fire**

* * *

The rage festered inside Yuu like a hardened cannonball that burned icy-hot in his chest. First Ferid had threatened the orphans, and now he'd kidnapped Yoichi and Shiho as leverage too? As he clutched his iPhone in both hands, perspiration gathered on the back of his neck. Mikaela and Mahiru watched him struggle with different emotions. On one hand, Yuu was grateful the Director, Akane, Chihiro, Kouta, Taichi, Ako, and Fumie were safe. On the other hand… why would the Shindo servants target two people entirely separate from the Hyakuya Orphanage after first threatening the orphans…? Were they trying to demonstrate just how far-reaching the Shindo establishment was?

If so, it was working.

He choked out through half-gritted teeth, "Ferid took Yoichi and Kimizuki," in decisive spurts of rage-filled breath. The whites of his eyes shone prominent in the afternoon rays of sunlight filtering through the high windows of Mahiru's main room upstairs, pupils constricted, trembling green irises focused on something past the pink wooden ground.

At Yuichiro's statement, Mikaela's breath hitched. They were Yuu's friends more than his, but that didn't mean Mika wished them any harm – and he knew more than well what his servants were capable of. "Yuu, we have to get them back –!"

"Wait!" Yuu interrupted sharply, for Shinoa had started speaking at the same time as Mika, a certain perplexity in her tone. "What?"

Shinoa repeated, "The people who took Yoichi and Kimizuki weren't Shindo servants."

"Wh-what…?"

"They were part of the Hiiragi Family," said Shinoa hesitantly. "They were in proper uniform when Mitsu and I saw them leaving the school, and…" She hesitated even more. Taking into account Mitsuba's quiet sobs muffled in the background, Shinoa whispered into the phone, "One of them was Mitsu's older sister, Sanguu Aoi. She works for my family."

This was both befuddling and horrifying. If the Hiiragis were getting involved in the Shindo Family's affairs, then that would mean…

"…You're thinking it too, right, Yuu?" Shinoa asked.

"Yeah… Somehow, the Hiiragis must have found out what was going on at the Shindo Manor, that their heir is on the loose." Yuu looked slowly at Mika, whose eyes widened and shoulders tensed as he said it. They understood what was at stake now. Not knowing what else to say as Mika looked to the side, seeming to be thinking hard, Yuu asked offhandedly, "Is Mitsuba all right?" Yuu asked offhandedly. And when Yuu glanced at Mahiru, she stood motionless against the door of her previously invaded lab room, her arms crossed over her dark purple flannel, red gaze fixed, peering at Yuu underneath lavender bangs.

"Mitsu's just shaken up from the encounter with her sister… She'll be okay.

"Yuu," Shinoa began again, "Aoi told us if you and Mikaela don't turn yourselves in to the Hiiragis by the end of this week, Yoichi and Kimizuki will be –"

"Yeah, I got it," assured Yuu before Shinoa finished, half rolling his eyes. He didn't want to try to imagine what the Hiiragis would do to his friends. With so little time left, they would have to come up with a plan at lightning speed.

Shinoa spoke quieter. "You understand, right, Yuu? I can't do anything for them despite being a part of the family, though I'll still try… Yoichi and Kimizuki are in their hands now, the hands of my family… and they are not ones to be trifled with. Even the Shindos keep their distance unless it's necessary they work together."

"I got it," Yuu repeated shortly, feeling the unrest within him only grow. "We'll come up with something by the end of the week, I promise."

"Okay… talk to you later."

"Bye."

Yuu hung up the phone. His arm fell from his cheek as if in slow motion, Mika's and Mahiru's attention on him once again. They awaited his debrief of the situation with stiffness, but Yuu could barely process what he'd heard himself. How had the Hiiragis found out about Mika's absence from the Shindo Manor? Unless Shinoa had been wrong about them neglecting to track her calls…?

Before Yuu could say anything, Mika said rigidly, "When my family finds out the Hiiragis have interfered… it'll be ugly."

"…What do you think they'll do?" Yuu asked reluctantly, holding his phone tightly in both hands.

"I'm not sure what they'll do," Mika admitted. Folding his arms over his chest, he rolled backward on his heels and then forward on the balls of his feet for a moment as he filled in, "But they _are_ _not_ going to let the Hiiragis have me. I can tell you that much."

Yuu kept telling everyone – Akane, Shinoa, Mahiru, even Mika – that they would come up with a plan before time ran out, but now his deadline was only three days away – this coming Saturday – and they had nothing. And to believe, last week Yuu had gone to school as if everything was normal… except it hadn't been. All week he'd been devising a way to make Asuramaru spill what he knew about the Shindos to help get Mika out of the Shindo Manor. Now Asuramaru was off in Shibuya, leading Ferid and Crowley on some wild goose chase… and when they realized it was a hoax, who could say what kind of destruction would break loose?

Yet with Mahiru's sinister crimson eyes still fallen upon him, there was something more pressing on his mind.

Seeing the precursor of thought in the slant of his brow, Mahiru leaned off of the door. She waved both hands toward the ground. "I know, I know, you want to know what I'm planning, right?" Yuu and Mika said nothing, knowing the more leash they pulled in by demanding what she was doing in this situation, the faster she would run away from it. "I'm afraid to say I can't disclose that information at this current time," she stated, the corner of her mouth split in a smirk.

"Mika and I have to be back in Tokyo by Saturday," stated Yuu, "or else your family is going to do something horrible to our friends."

Mahiru shrugged. The short, pointed shoulders of her purple flannel bobbed upward as she passed them to get to the stairs. "How's that my problem?"

Kicked out of his stupor from Mahiru's disinterest, Mika couldn't hold back any longer. "You should know better than anyone how serious they are!" he burst, both him and Yuu pursuing her down the staircase to the main floor. "And unlike you, I'm not willing to let anyone else get hurt for my mistakes! So if you don't help us…" Mika stopped in the middle of the stairs, and Yuu looked back at him with dread in his citrine eyes. He knew what Mika was about to say. "I'm going to turn myself in," Mika declared.

"Mika –"

"Then you do that," said Mahiru, interrupting Yuu, "but don't you _dare_ pin the blame of their threats onto me." Her red eyes flickered toward Yuu who was at the bottom of the staircase next to her, mouth poised as if he desperately wanted to interject, but knew not what to say. So Mahiru continued. "I disconnected from them long ago, and I don't plan on going back," she overrode when Yuu tried to say something, shaking her head fervently. "Not ever." She turned and rushed across the living room. Yuu and Mika exchanged a look, then kept following after her.

"Don't be like that, Mahiru," Yuu tried to say, keeping up with her. He was talking at her shoulder, at the tendrils of lavender hair sticking out her messy bun. "This concerns you too, doesn't it? C'mon, if the Hiiragis get ahold of Mika, you know what they'll do, don't you? Though we might not…"

Mahiru sighed through her nose, halting with a hand on the handle to the bright sunroom. "They'll likely want him to serve under the Hiiragis to keep control of the Shindo Family," she said, keeping her head bowed, "causing him to be nothing but a puppet acting as the double agent of both sides, constantly pulled back and forth between the families in manipulation of the mind and body in their deadly tug-of-war."

The solemnity of her tone brought a coldness to Yuichiro's bare arms. Mika had already been the puppet of the Shindos when he lived there… serving under both families would be just… And the Hiiragis were said to be a whole new level of Hell.

Yuu would not let that happen.

"Mahiru, you can help us, can't you?" Yuu asked, attempting to be touchy about the subject, presenting the idea as a suggestion instead of a demand by his light tone – however the urgency in his voice was too hard to mask when it came to Mikaela.

"No, I can't help you," said Mahiru, turning around and looking Yuu dead in the eyes. "I have my own reasons. Right now, what you need to do is figure out how to get the Hiiragis to come to you."

"Bring the Hiiragis here…?" murmured Mika.

"Yeah. If you can bring them to us, you have a higher chance of getting your friends away from their clutches safely, while they're far away from their main forces. Home field advantage, right? Do you understand?"

"Sure, but how are we going to do that?" Yuu asked.

He was leaning over Mahiru, too close for comfort – she could smell his sweating brow and armpits from the earlier tension. So she elbowed him swiftly in the chest – which made Yuu crumbled to his knees, out of her personal space. Then Mahiru flicked the loose tendrils of lavender hair from behind one ear as she traipsed toward the garage. Mika took a step back when she passed him, for Yuu was nearly foaming at the mouth on the floor behind them. "Stop being such nuisances and go brainstorm." Snatching up something from a hook on the shelf beside the garage door, she turned around, held up a silver car key and jiggled it enticingly in her hand like a cat owner with a dinner bell. "Here, I'll even let you two get out of the house with my car, mkay~?"

* * *

 **~Unisono~**

* * *

"Why are we driving Mahiru's stinky car around Nagoya?" Mikaela grumbled. Dressed in the ugly red turtleneck Yuu picked out at the store with the Director, his arms remained crossed over his chest as he glared out the windows where hundreds of people passed each second on the sidewalks of Nagoya. Light baggy pants obstructed most of Yuu's view out the passenger seat window as his feet were propped up on the dashboard. "And why are you the one driving?!" Mika momentarily threw his hands in the air.

Yuu shrugged in the driver's seat, hands on the wheel. "That's just how it worked out," he replied as nonchalant as possible.

"Like hell it was," snorted Mika, unable to stifle the small grin that appeared on his face at how Yuu was trying to act like it wasn't a big deal. "I know you were dying to get your hands on Mahiru's sick ride."

"Yeah well…" Yuu glanced around the car covered in water and food stains. The station wagon made unpleasant chortling sounds now with both of them trapped at a traffic light. It also hiccupped every few seconds on its own fuel. "Now that I'm here, it isn't much," said Yuu.

Though the car wasn't much, it was definitely better than nothing. Mika could see the wanderlust in Yuu's eyes. "Don't be so modest, Yuu," said Mika, taking his feet off the car dash, sitting up a little. "I just wish Mahiru would stop hiding whatever-it-is from us."

"And that she would actually help us," added Yuu, glancing at Mika with determination in his eyes. "Shinoa wasn't lying when she said she's doing shady stuff… but maybe it can't be helped."

Mika nodded, looking out the window beside him at the brightly-lit shops that passed, at the glittering signs in neon colors, bold and stylistic fonts of Kanji and Katakana masterfully penned across them. "Right, she has more history with the Hiiragis… the fear is more real for her than either of us."

"I guess we'll have to do is come up with our own plan."

"Own plan to do what?" questioned Mika. Turning his chest toward Yuu, he officially became fed-up. "I'm sorry Yuu, but what are we going to do?! What are we even trying to accomplish by this?! They aren't going to stop kidnapping our friends and threatening people until they've caught us! So unless you're planning on becoming a murderer and have a lot more serial killer vibes hidden somewhere that I don't know about…"

"No, I don't," Yuu refuted calmly.

"Then what _can_ we do?" Mika sighed shortly. "Maybe we should run away for real, to a place neither the Shindos nor the Hiiragis can ever find us. If we lived in another country, perhaps finally then they wouldn't be able to bother us. We could live peacefully somewhere…"

With Mika watching the side of his face, Yuu shook his head. "No, that wouldn't solve anything. What about Yoichi and Kimizuki? That would just put everyone else back here in danger."

"But what else can we do?" Mika's voice had gone from annoyed and desperate to fearful and concise. He believed there was no other way out of this except to run away, but Yuichiro had something else in mind.

"We need to bring down the Hiiragis," Yuu said. His emerald irises flashed toward Mika in the afternoon light. Mika just looked dumbfounded. "I have a feeling that's what Mahiru's been doing out here this entire time," Yuu went on, "I mean what else would she be doing out here completely disconnected from them with all those test tubes? That's the real reason she wants us to bring the Hiiragis here, isn't it? Because she's so scared of them and has something else planned? C'mon, Mika, both you and her know that catching the Hiiragis off-guard is going to be impossible no matter where we are. So why would she ask it of us?"

"To distract us from the truth of what she's doing," Mika answered. "That's why she's letting us borrow her car. But that isn't what's important." Mika's gaze drifted back to the road, to the miles of cars lined up in front of them. "What makes you think we can bring down the Hiiragis if we can't even lure them out here?"

"It's the only reasonable way to make everyone stop trying to hurt us. It's the only way to make sure no one keeps getting hurt –"

"What makes you think taking on the Hiiragis will ensure no one gets hurt?!" Mikaela sputtered.

"– and a part of me still believes Mahiru isn't entirely bad," Yuu said, barely a pause.

"Maybe you're right about that," agreed Mika, "but we can't be sure. If she isn't willing to tell us herself what she's been doing, then what else are we supposed to think? And what makes you think she'll help us after she flat-out refused this morning?"

"I have my ways," said Yuu deviously, but he knew Mika was right. If Mahiru wouldn't at least tell them what she was doing, why would she help them with anything? All those vials bubbling in the darkness of the secret room… and they hadn't even seen what was in the room on the other side of the attic. Though why had she even let Yuu and Mika live in her house to get away from the Hiiragis in the first place if she had no good intentions at all…?

Yuu glanced at Mika as he crossed his hands over each other to turn the wheel. His cerulean were eyes lost and clouded, trained out the passenger window. When Yuu spoke, he seemed to jolt to life, the color returning to his face. "I'm not going to let you turn yourself in, though."

Slowly, Mikaela looked at Yuichiro.

"Back there, you said you'd turn yourself in to the Hiiragis if a solution didn't present itself," said Yuu to answer the question from Mika's wrinkled forehead. "I'm not letting that happen."

"I'm not going to let someone else get hurt for me," Mika replied. "Definitely not those who have less to do with us running away from Tokyo than Mahiru and the Hyakuya Orphans. And not after what Ferid did to you – don't think I don't see how you still favor your right hip."

"Well I'm not going to let anyone hurt you the way Ferid and your parents did all those years," Yuu retorted. "Mika, you do realize turning yourself in would only make the rest of this be in vain, right?!" His voice rose shrilly. "All of us risked our lives to get you out of the mansion; I risked my career – what little I had – to come here with you! All threats and fights against them will have been in vain if we can't figure something out that will keep everyone out of danger!"

"How can you say that when your friends are in danger right now?!" shouted Mika, his voice rising over Yuu's. "When you yourself were already attacked and still live with that pain?!" He slapped the dashboard in fury as he turned toward Yuu in his seat, stopped by his seatbelt. "You do realize that Yoichi and Kimizuki are at the mercy of the Hiiragis now, right? They'll do anything to get me!"

"I _know_ , Mika," Yuu cut in calmly. He didn't need to hear what the Hiiragis could do. He didn't need to test his resolve.

"Then why are you so relaxed about this?! Trading one of me for two of them?! We can't pass up a deal like that! My servants would probably do all in their power to liberate me from them if I turned myself in anyway!"

"It's unlikely they want only you," Yuu told him unmovably. "The Hiiragis asked for me too. And I don't want you crawling back to the Shindos to beg someone like Ferid for help at a time like this."

"Yeah, but maybe that's the only choice right n –!"

"Mika, you know as well as I do that the Shindos won't settle for that, and then they'd have Yoichi, Kimizuki, _and_ you. And me if I turned myself in to try and get you back."

Mika shook his head. "I still don't think you're thinking this through."

"Why?!" Yuu shouted. "Don't you realize turning yourself in will only put us in a worse position than before?! Don't you realize I care about what happens to you?! To _all of you_ , not just Yoichi and Kimizuki, but you too, Mika?!"

At that both of them were struck, unable to say anything more, understanding each other's positions. Yuu and Mika stormed silently, looking opposite ways out the car windows. The bright signs of the shopping district had long since passed and Yuu was driving aimlessly through lanky office buildings, toward the residential districts. Silence extended around them like the jagged road packed with cars.

Yuichiro couldn't take it anymore. He flipped on the radio. Rotating the dial through local news, Yuu stopped when he came to the first pop station he could find – man, it'd been a while since he'd heard any pop – and let the station sit as him and Mika continued to try to ignore the other. After some number done by one of the five or so top female artists who all sounded so alike in voice and style that Mika – and even Yuichiro – could hardly tell them apart, a song with a different air came on.

The slow, repetitive two-note harmony somehow drew them in, despite the simplicity of the lyrics and music. Almost immediately the song had an effect on Mikaela, who instead of slouching against the window with his chin on his fist cocked his head slightly to better listen. Then a higher harmony, upon entering, mirrored the lyrics in the second verse, also adding percussive modifications. Now the song had Yuu's attention as well, and before the chorus, it had another two baselines kick in: a thrummed, single note, adding a layer to the continuing double-noted harmony, and a strumming slow harmonic chord to match with the lyrics…

Yuu was so caught up in the structure of the song, when the two baselines were taken away again, to mimic the second verse, with the third verse Yuu found himself too lost in the words to focus on technicalities any longer…

" _I don't quite know… how to say… how I feel."_

His face lit up, tears entering his eyes.

" _Those three words… are said too much… They're not enough."_

At that point, both Yuu and Mika knew… they knew what it was the singer so desperately wanted to say, yet felt it wasn't enough to convey how they felt… And suddenly Mika felt this had to be a trick of some sort, that Yuu had planned this when he turned the radio on, but even as his head turned to shoot a glare in Yuu's direction, – which he found impossible from the warmth that spread across his face and chest, – Mika was surprised to find Yuu near jittery, doing his best to focus only on the road, seemingly losing himself.

Again the two baselines kicked in with the chorus, both louder this time.

" _Forget what we're told… before we get too old… Show me a garden that's bursting into life."_

Instead of becoming louder, once again the baselines dropped into the background as singular piano notes sang with the words, combining into the most touching thing Yuu had ever heard, and he felt himself struggling not to burst into tears. He'd heard this song before, and yet only now it seemed to fit so well… How had he completely forgotten it…?

" _Let's waste time… chasing cars… around our heads."_

Mikaela stiffened with the next verse, sucking in an audible gasp of breath.

" _I need your grace… to remind me… to find my own."_

All sounds rippled away for the build-up into the next chorus, which rang out in earnest with strong base, harmony, and percussion.

Yuu looked at Mika, unconsciously half-lip-syncing words. " _Forget what we're told_ ," he sang quietly. " _Before we get too old_ …"

Mika echoed softly: " _Show me a garden that's bursting into life._ "

The music thrummed on as loudly as before, which only caused their faces to heat up once more.

" _All that I am… all that I ever was… is here in your perfect eyes; they're all I can see."_

Mika's eyes were beautiful, – from the years of torment when he held an unmovable apathy, boundless compassion underneath the surface, – and yet so were Yuu's – with a determination and tenderness that no kind of hardship could ever crumble.

" _I don't know where… confused about how as well… just know that these things will never change for us at all."_

And that was it: these things would never change for Yuu and Mika. Ever since their relationship blossomed, there had been confusion, sadness, even hatred and fear… all the odds had been set against them, having been opposites in school, socially and emotionally. But somehow, they had found a way. They'd been brought together by the loneliness in their hearts, by the purity that music burst forth from their essences, speaking the truest words of their souls, even if they weren't words at all, but notes. This gift they shared had brought them together, and despite differences and hardships to come, no matter what, nothing would change how they felt about the other, even if their approaches to their feelings were entirely different…

They would make it through, no matter what came. With or without music's soulful maelstrom to guide them. No, their bond meant more than that, and finally, they knew it to be entirely true.

The guitar picked up the momentum from the melody until the chorus played again, died down, as if it was a reminiscent question that they had once asked of each other, now in the past…

" _If I lay here… if I just lay here… would you lie with me and just forget the world…?"_

Yuu pulled the car over to the curb, and after a long time, he whispered, "I thought you didn't like pop music." They were far past the outskirts of Nagoya now, in the suburban-forest area surrounding the city. Some advertisement about shoes having taken up the silence instead, Yuu turned off the radio. Neither of them had heard it.

Mika blushed as he said, "I seemed to have grown a liking to it after I was heartbroken, having been separated from an idiot I know."

Mika said it in good fun but Yuu knew there had been nothing funny about the situation when Yuu denied feeling anything for Mika at all, nor about how his family had tried to lock him away in the Shindo Manor. "Mika, I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you how much you meant to me –"

"Yuu, it's okay."

"No, it's not okay." Yuu's eyes drifted to the side, eyes watering. "I made you feel horribly and now…"

Mika placed his hand on Yuu's in his lap. "I'm sorry too, for not taking into account your feelings when you said you didn't want me to turn myself in or ask my family for help. I'm still not used to someone fretting over me…"

Yuu felt for a moment that Mikaela might lean forward. Something must have stopped him; he drew back into his own seat. This time Yuu hadn't been ready.

"We'll come up with something that suits us both… okay?" said Mika gently.

Yuu quickly wiped his face, a few tears having fallen over his cheeks. "Y-yeah."

When Yuichiro and Mikaela returned to the squat, antique wood-brick house, the sun was already nearly halfway down in the sky – for they didn't know the way around the area and Mika had severe trouble operating the GPS on Yuu's iPhone. Mahiru was sitting in the living room, poured over a book on herbs on the coffee table.

"Mahiru, we can't trust you until you at least give us an idea about what you've been doing," Yuu declared.

Mahiru took her glasses off her nose. The thick swirliness reflected bluish in the light, dangling from a chain around her neck. Bowing her head, her crimson eyes became darkened by the shadow of her straight-cut bangs. "I've been researching." She held up her glasses and then dropped them so that the chains rattled against her chest. "Did you enjoy riding in my car?"

"Researching what?" enquired Mika, unfazed by her attempt to direct the conversation elsewhere. Both him and Yuu watched her closely now, standing side by side.

"You said to give you an idea," Mahiru countered.

"You know we need more than that," said Mika, going to stand directly in front of her as she sat disinterestedly on the couch. Yuu joined him, not sure where this would go. "It's obvious you've been researching plants and biological chemicals from the books and research papers on the desk up by the piano. But what you need to research them _for_ , well… who knows?"

Mahiru fished her fingers through lavender strands of hair until she found where the bobby pins and hairband were keeping it intact – or trying to keep it intact. Pulling out the hairpieces, she swished her head back and forth, until all hair was loose, then took a deep sigh through her nose. "What would you do if I told you the Hiiragis are conducting human experiments?"

Riveted on what she said, Mika glanced at Yuu. They moved silently to sit on the couch adjacent to the one Mahiru sat. "Wh-what kind of human experiments?" Mika asked, hardly able to contain his curiosity.

Mahiru closed her book with a snap. She stood up, the massive book on herbs shoved under her arm. She didn't walk away though. "I was one of them," she said without feeling, loose lavender locks hiding the strain evident in the skin around her crimson eyes. With that, she turned on one heel and marched toward the kitchen. "You two are hungry, yes? Lunchtime was over four hours ago."

Neither Yuu nor Mika replied, only looked at each other with shock in their faces, not knowing what to say. Without saying anything, they understood they both knew that pressing the matter in an objective way like before was not how they should go about this. Yet how else could they ask with sympathy and without skimping on the details?

"Mahiru –" Yuu called after her.

"I won't talk about this now," she answered without looking at him as she took pans and ingredients out of the cupboards. "We can discuss more over dinner." She peered at them over her swirly glasses. "And, perhaps, come up with a way to keep your friends from being killed."

Yuu and Mika glanced at each other in surprise, not believing their ears. Soon after while waiting in the dining room, they grew suspicious.

Was there a hidden motive in her sudden desire to assist them…?

* * *

 **~Kr** **ä** **ftig~**

* * *

Asuramaru grinned at his cellphone as Ferid and Crowley came around the bend. The Director of the Hyakuya Orphanage had given them the vague address of a string of abandoned apartment buildings in the residential district of Shibuya. The servants had come up fruitless yet again: having swept the entire area, not a soul was in sight.

"For the last time, there's nothing here," Ferid growled, hands on his hips as his long tailcoat and red ribbons in his hair trailed behind him. He stopped and turned toward the abandoned high-rise across from them. A concrete, low-hanging ceiling and thick concrete railing obstructed most of his view.

"We've searched each building ten times and still found nothing," Crowley whined, heaving out a large exhale that flattened his muscle-bloated chest considerably under his black trench coat. His chest inflated to be the unnaturally massive size it was when he took in another. "What more do you want from us, Asuramaru?"

The teen said coolly, "I know there's no one here."

"You know?" Ferid blubbered.

Crowley mumbled, "I don't care if you're Lady Krul's brother, she'll be _furious_ with you when she finds out this was all for naught."

"I know there's nothing here and so does she," interrupted Asuramaru calmly, looking up at him. "But there is something you might want to hear."

"Oh? And what's that?" asked Ferid, standing beside Crowley.

Asuramaru held up his phone for both of them to see, a twinkle in his exposed right red eye.

They bent down to Asuramaru's height to read the email he'd received from Shinoa. Ferid's ruby eyes widened, and so did Crowley's. "Th-the Hiiragis have found out?!"

Asuramaru smiled smugly, nodding. "That's right. The jig is up. It's time to make our move."

Ferid and Crowley exchanged glances of pleasure while Asuramaru turned around on the tall high-rise of abandoned Shibuya apartments. He smirked until the muscles in his face formed deep lines in his cheeks and around his eyes, even the one hidden underneath violet bangs. Crimson right eye focused, he murmured, "And now everything is set into place… for their demise." He stared at the hidden-camera view of Yuu, Mika, and Mahiru at a department store in Nagoya. School uniform disguising him as an innocent high school student, Asuramaru's phone screen glowed shadows upon his face, lighting up his troubled demonic features.

* * *

 **I decided to repost this chapter since I wasn't satisfied with how it came out, and the changes are actually quite significant. I apologize to anyone who was looking for a new chapter!**

 **I'm working on structuring the ending of the story now, and so… I'm trying to wrap things up! I'm going to try to post as many chapters as I can before school starts for me, but this school year looks like it's going to be very busy, perhaps busier than the previous two (somehow), and so I hope you'll stick with me until then!**

 **Thank you so much for the kind words on the previous chapter! I'm glad you liked the twists, Mr. Shade, and that all of you (Lemy, Miry176, Milquetoast, and Mr. Shade, ^^) have enjoyed how I described how Mika was teaching Yuu the piano~ That was my favorite scene to write too~**

 **Please don't forget to leave your opinion on the chapter below!**


	19. Never Fear

Chapter XIX: **Never Fear**

* * *

"It all started on my seventh birthday," Mahiru recalled. Across from her at the dinner table, Yuichiro and Mikaela sat, attentive to her story despite the magnificent array of food stretched out before them – which remained untouched all throughout. "That was the day my father, Hiiragi Tenri, told me I would be given 'the key to uniting the Hiiragi Family and all of the lower tier families for good.' Little did I know, the 'sacred ritual' he would carry out on me was actually the beginning of a human experimentation project meant to enhance one's mind to hold psychic powers such as telekinesis and telepathy…"

Mahiru closed her eyes, breathing deeply as lightning rods of pain and endless screaming echoed through her ears, boxed in by dark cement walls – and behind a shield of bright glasses lenses, eyes, cold and calculating, watched her from every direction, studying her. "…But the experiments didn't succeed. And as a result, the only remnant I hold from them are my crimson eyes." When Mahiru raised a trembling hand, Yuu and Mika realized she was lying about her eyes being the only vestige she held from years under brutal experimentation.

Mahiru pressed her hand back upon the table, next to the other. "In the beginning, my father didn't trust the experiments to be conducted on subjects outside of the family, fearful that it would work and then they would hold power over us. But after five years of procedures without any results shown in my siblings nor myself, Tenri Hiiragi turned to his powerful allies to ask for more test subjects. 'There might be something in Hiiragi DNA to work around,' he justified. Thankfully, the experiments on the Hiiragis were stopped before they reached my little sister, Shinoa."

Mahiru's voice took on a malefic aura, eyes glowing brighter from the shadow that passed over her face as she leaned forward. "The moment I was let out of that godforsaken laboratory, I ran away from my family. I didn't get very far, so I camped out in a humbler, smaller district within our realm. Right under their noses, I knew they wouldn't find me. A boy about my age found me huddled in the bushes… He was Ichinose Guren." Her tone went dry. Yuu watched her closely. She spoke about Guren in a way she never had about anyone else before, ferocious, yet tenderly. "The two of us talked for hours about what we would do if we could escape a life under the rule of the Hiiragi Family, but in all the time we spent together, I never told him who I really was, too afraid he would become scared and call my family to come get me, and then I would be forced back into that laboratory…

"After a few months, my family finally came looking for me in the Ichinose's district, so I asked Guren to run away with me… but in that moment, when the Hiiragi guards were wreaking havoc in his house and my hand extended out to him, I saw the answer in those wily lavender eyes. He had no intention of running away. He never did. His only desire was to climb to the top as one of them…"

Yuu banged a fist against the table. "Guren would never align himself with people as awful as the Hiiragis on purpose!" he shouted in disbelief, shaking his head.

Mahiru's gaze didn't waver as she said, "I thought so too, but ten years after that day, I've learned to accept the truth."

Before Yuu could say anything else, Mika put a hand on his, glaring at him a little reproachfully for interrupting Mahiru. "What?!" said Yuu. "Guren's a good guy!" He met Mika's gaze with conviction as he thought of how Guren had always gone easy on him whenever he got in trouble at school, how Guren informed him of the Hiiragis' intentions when he had asked to better understand Mika's situation, how Guren picked him up at the school that Saturday morning after Yuu grilled out Asuramaru, how Guren Ichinose had been the only person to take Yuu in after all he had been through with his parents, the other adults only thinking of him as a nuisance… "I know it."

"Let's let Mahiru finish." And as Mika turned back to their red-eyed host, something told Yuu that Mika had always expected such a development of cruelty from Yuu's only mentor. _Why didn't Mika tell me…?_ Yuu wondered. Though as he sat quietly for the remainder of Mahiru's story, he knew it was for the same reason that Yuu had hid his true discomfort at their closer relationship for so long. Mika simply didn't want to cause Yuu any pain.

"And so," said Mahiru, "ever since I ran away from the Hiiragis, I've been out here, researching how to reverse the effects of the human experiments done to me. It's hard to go out in public with red eyes and not have someone think you're cosplaying as an anime character, you know," she added, chuckling dryly. Then her eyes drifted to the floor, hands twitching against the table's dark wood. "My family has known where I'm hiding on and off, but I always move when Shinoa warns me they know my location. I've been here the longest however, and I hope for it to stay that way until I can truly be free from them…"

Though there were many other questions on Mika's mind, – pieces of the story Mahiru had skillfully excluded, – first, Mikaela inquired, "…You said there were others, aside from the Hiiragi Family, who underwent the experimentations, correct?"

She nodded, swishing her lengthy lavender hair to one side as she sat taller, crossing one leg over the other. "Yes, that's right."

"Ferid…" Yuu suddenly slipped out, looking at Mika.

Mika nodded at him. "And Krul and Asuramaru. They must have been a part of the experiments too, right?"

"I'm not too sure how many others my family experimented on," Mahiru admitted, "since I ran away, I've only heard snippets from Shinoa. By the sound of it, there have been various subjects from underground sources, and the experiments hold some significance now, but I can't say for sure."

"What do you mean by 'hold some significance'?" Mika asked.

"Meaning, though subjects may not walk away with powers such as telekinesis, there are other… psychological effects that the experiments have left on their minds."

"That would make sense for Ferid," Yuu snorted, sitting back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest. "That guy is something else entirely."

"Whether or not the test subjects remember who they used to be or what their personalities were like before they were experimented on," said Mahiru with a small, cold smile, "who can say? The same effect may have been implemented on me from the experiments, and I just can't remember."

There was a moment of silence until Mika couldn't stand the clawing sensation at the back of his mind any longer, a question dying to get out that would serve as the central pillar connecting everything else Mahiru had said, or tip the balance and make it all crumble. "Something still doesn't make sense, Mahiru," he said, leaning forward.

"Oh?" Mahiru asked. Mischievousness flashed across her face, but only for a brief second.

"If you're completely disconnected from the Hiiragis now, as you said, then how are you living this comfortably? I assume you'd have to have a job, given the size of this mansion and everything in it, all of your research equipment, but aren't the Hiiragis able to find you that way?"

Yuu's brow furrowed. "What are you saying, Mika?"

"I'm saying," he said, glancing at both of them, "if she's as independent from the Hiiragis as she claims, then how is she living here in this lavish house without any kind of job? How do they know I'm no longer at the Shindo Manor? How is she so calm about the prospect of the Hiiragis coming –" Mikaela stood from his seat, knocking over his chair. The tower of information in the metaphysical arena in his head teetered wildly back and forth, finally toppling over as everything fell into place. His cerulean eyes widened with fear, blond hair falling into them. "– here…?"

"You've finally figured it out, have you?" Mahiru asked. Pouring hot water from the teapot in front of her, she scooped tea leaves inside.

Slowly, Yuichiro stood up too. The food between them steamed alluringly in the darkly-wooded dining room, wafting above the windows that displayed the serene river, trees, and city in the chilly winds outside.

"How much time do we have?" demanded Mika, having already recovered.

Mahiru ripped open a bag of sugar and tipped it in the teacup until all the contents had rolled inside. Then she brought the cup up to her face, blowing a little, and sipped gracefully. "Who knows? They said you had three days to make up your mind."

Mika took Yuichiro roughly by the wrist. Fleeing from the dining room and into the hallway, he took the keys to Mahiru's car with him, her insane giggling chasing them out the door.

Sitting in the car, the garage having slammed shut behind them, Mika sped down the freeway into Nagoya.

"Mika?! What's going on?!" Yuu asked in the passenger seat.

"That story – those experiments – they toyed with Mahiru's mind just enough to make her loyal to them," explained Mika as he pushed the car to go faster and faster.

"And the story she told us about running away?"

"All a lie," Mikaela answered. He paused. "Except for the part about Guren."

Yuu found himself shaking his head. He couldn't shake the look of sheer horror on Mahiru's face when she described the experiments out of his head. "No, it can't be true…"

"I'm sorry, Yuu, but we just have to accept it for right now."

"No, even if she really is against us, I refuse to believe that everything she told us was a lie. Why would the Hiiragis wait so long to come after us if they already knew where we were this entire time?"

Mika said nothing, focused only on the road's arcing curves.

"C'mon Mika, think about it. Why would they go to the trouble of waiting to send us threats and kidnapping our friends unless she delayed telling them? Not everything she told us was a lie. There's a part of her still fighting, still going against them."

"If she didn't tell them, then who did?" Mika demanded. He was becoming less sure of everything, less stable, anxiously checking out the windows every minute, trying to stamp out the eyes watching them from every direction. His unbecoming demeanor, Yuu realized, was similar to Mahiru's when she spoke of the eyes watching her in the laboratory.

Yuu's iPhone buzzed and he picked up with a "Hello?" despite Mika's expression when he latched onto him, hazy and fearful.

"Remember that favor you promised me back when I decided to help you get Mikaela out of the Shindo Manor?"

Yuu's voice turned cold. "It was you, wasn't it, Asuramaru?"

The teen let out a small breath of what sounded like accomplishment, only confirming the anger Yuu felt twisting in his gut. Yuu put the phone on speaker for Mika to hear the conversation as well. "You're the one who told the Hiiragis that Mika escaped, pushing us into a corner like this… What did you do to Mahiru?"

"I didn't do anything to Mahiru," the teen disclaimed joyfully. "I merely stayed low and waited for my time to strike."

"Who are you in line with, then?! The Shindos? The Hiiragis?"

Asuramaru laughed. "Who said I was in line with anybody?"

Mika spat, "It's Ferid, isn't it?" His driving was rugged as he pulled over onto the shoulder of the highway.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Young Master Mikaela."

A chill shot down Mika's spine at the carefree voice. His face went white, and Yuu immediately took the phone off of speaker. "Just tell us what you want!" he yelled into the microphone. Ferid's laugh came from the background as the phone was exchanged between hands on the other end. Before they spoke, Mika said steadily, "Yuu, put the phone back on speaker."

Yuu watched him closely, scrutinizing the strain on his face. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I need to hear this as much as you. Trust me."

Reluctantly, Yuu complied.

"All we want," stated Asuramaru, "is for you to come back to Tokyo. As for your friends… Well, the Hiiragis have been needing some new test subjects."

"Listen here, Asuramaru –!"

"Are you in line with Krul, too?" asked Mikaela, taking the phone from Yuu. He gave Yuu a look that said, "Stop wasting time!" when he glared at him.

"Krul's loyalties remain with the Shindos," came Ferid's voice.

Asuramaru added, "So the only ones standing between us and the Hiiragis are you both."

"We'll be waiting at the Hyakuya Orphanage~" sang Ferid. This froze Yuu. "Oh, and I might hurry, my patience has run thin and I'm starting may get impatient, you see. Ta-ta~!"

The phone hung up and beeped emptily at them in the car.

* * *

 **~Hauptstimme~**

* * *

By the time they got back to Mahiru's dining room, the food was gone, as were the created dirty dishes. Mahiru was nowhere to be found. The house was utterly silent. So Mikaela ventured upstairs, Yuichiro right behind him. Not a word was said, for… there was nothing either of them could do. It was over.

The chemicals that glowed in the dark lab room bubbled beside books on herbal remedies, psychology, and brain damage… just as Mahiru had said. She had acquired, discarded, and created so many different drugs, all lined in rows upon rows on the counters. The sight of it was amazing. How long had she been there working, without a cure in sight, knowing her family was on her tail…?

Through the door opposite the lab room, to the right of the room the piano rested in, was a bedroom. A singular window illuminated the bed of overturned when thick salmon curtains were pulled aside. Poofy blankets, a bedside table with fiction novels, a clear glass of water refracting rainbows in the sun, and shelves full of books and crystals of all shapes, colors, and lusters marked the area. Clothes hung around the room like dusty drapes, flowers piled on the windowsill… This was Mahiru's room.

It smelled of what Mika thought home should smell like: sweet like cotton candy, yet also of worn linens. When Yuichiro came up beside him, he instinctively took Mikaela's hand, which caused both of them to start a little. Yet Yuu's fingers remained interlocked with Mika's, and soon Mika curled his fingers around Yuu's. He turned to face him. Already so close, those blue eyes made Yuu smolder, and he couldn't help himself as he leaned in, stealing a chaste kiss. Mika's eyes fluttered closed and Yuichiro leaned in deeper. Yuu felt Mika's fingers tighten around his, inhaling tightly, drinking up the moment, though it quickly passed.

Once they parted, briefly searching the other's face, Mika turned away, into the room. The touch of Yuu's lips on his lingered. Their hands remained enjoined. "If what Mahiru said about Guren is true, then we really do have no one else to turn to…" He trailed off in the mansion's quietness, staring into Mahiru's room. Before he looked at Yuichiro, Mika felt his hand trembling. "Yuu –?"

"I don't get it," Yuu choked out in rage and sorrow. His fist shook in Mika's hand. "All this time, I thought if I was kind to others, things like this wouldn't happen… But I guess I should have known." Yuu looked up, battling his emotions from forming tears in his eyes. "Ever since I was little, when my parents pushed me around for no reason other than I was there, I always thought maybe if I tried harder, I could make them love me, be what they wanted me to be… I just had to try a little harder."

"Yuu," Mika gently took him by the shoulders, forcing Yuu to look into his eyes. Those emerald eyes were surprised. "None of this is your fault. We've come this far from your willpower alone, haven't you realized?" When Yuu said nothing, too enraptured by the brightness in Mika's expression right then, Mika uttered sheepishly, "I'm here with you now… are you still going to talk about Guren and your parents like that?"

"Of course not, Mika." His voice was filled with warmth, but as his head drifted to the side, Yuu looked to be fighting something deep inside him. Mika felt himself losing Yuu into that dark place from his past. He held onto him long enough to say, "I think, maybe… I need to forget."

Mika didn't understand immediately. "Forget?"

When Yuu said nothing, his eyes shyly setting on Mika's. Mika was taken aback by their depth, by the layers of Yuichiro he had yet to see. Mikaela was used to being stabbed in the back, used, abused by those he once considered dear… but this was too hard for Yuichiro, betrayed by so many. He needed to know Mika was beside him, that what happened in the past didn't matter anymore – and really, so did Mikaela. So Mika pulled him into his arms, until they were so close that their cheeks touched, their hair tickling their faces and necks. The contrasting pigments of ebony and ivory unified in the dusty light of Mahiru's room. "You aren't with your parents anymore, Yuu… You made sure I wouldn't be either. And there's no way I can forget that, not in a million years… No one can ever take that, that which you gave me." He pulled away to look Yuu in the face, nodding slightly. "We'll make it through this together, because if not, then everything… e-everything… all of it…" There was a laugh in his voice as tears slipped out of his eyes, causing Yuichiro's face to heat up. "All of it will have been meaningless. I understand now."

As Yuu watched Mika, he remembered how Mika had scurried away from him in the hallway outside the music room, timid and resistant to Yuichiro's curiosity. To believe how far he had come since that first day… Yuu's face broke out into the biggest grin Mikaela had ever seen. "That's right, Mika! We have to remain strong. We have to do this together, even if the entire world is against us!"

"Yuu…" Mika squeezed him tightly again, as he had done at the piano in the orphanage so long ago. Yuichiro took in every part of him, smiling against Mika's neck, which showed no signs of abuse.

When they pulled apart, Mika led Yuu into the music room. Clasping hands, the piano awaited. They sat down at the bench, where Mika replayed their lives. His fingers stretched everything out before them in a rush of events and emotions that they would never fully understand, impossible to place.

Those implacable feelings were the only way Yuu could explain his motives as he rested his head on Mika's shoulder, allowing the careful tones to carry him across the farthest reaches of the universe, to breathe the breath of the gods…

* * *

 **~Tre corde~**

* * *

The ride back to Tokyo was quiet and slow-going. Gnarled trees passed them in a meditative blur; faces swept by, unknowing to the burden they carried. It was also the greatest freedom. Just as they had arrived, they left with their hands entwined, ready to face whatever it was to come.

Tokyo burst with just as much business and danger as when they left, with people who hurried by focused on phone screens and petty gossip – their short-sighted lives. Yuichiro used to be one of them, allowing himself to be swallowed by music processed by the masses, his headphones blaring, trying so desperately to convince himself that he was living the life he wanted. Mikaela was once trapped by the ignorance spurned upon him by the others in his life, so he reached into the minds of the great composers to save himself. It was a lonely existence; he was also living a lie, telling himself he was fine without anyone else.

From the lies they'd lived, they had found each other.

Mahiru parked on the curb below the looming white-stone building, "Hyakuya Orphanage" in silver Kanji on the bronze plaque above the door. There stood the three menaces: the crafty Asuramaru, the brawn Crowley, and the malicious Ferid. The faces of the orphans – as well as the Director's sober countenance – watched from the windows; their breaths left steam on the glass. Soon enough, another car pulled up on the curb. Aoi Sanguu stepped from the driver's seat, leading two more Hiiragi officers, who restrained Yoichi and Shiho.

"So, about that favor, Yuu," started Asuramaru. Those red eyes swept over toward Yoichi and Shiho, who struggled in the arms of the guards.

Yuu yelled at him, "I thought we came to an understanding, back there in Hiiragi High."

Asuramaru laughed. "Understanding? What are you talking about?" The teen watched him with amused disinterest, and Yuu understood. This Asuramaru was different from the one he'd spoken to the time they spoke in the Fine Arts wing of the school that chilly winter night, how Mahiru had changed from the time him and Mika had fled from her house until now. Her crimson eyes examined the situation critically, questioning her rightful place in it. For the time being, she had completely forgotten.

Before Yuu could think of something to say, the butler behind Asuramaru stepped forward. "Mika! It's so good to see you!"

They watched Ferid with coldness, though there was also fear in Mika's cerulean eyes. Seeing this, Ferid smirked, marching down the stairs, contemplation in every step. Yuu felt every particle in Mika's body tense; he felt it too.

"Did you honestly think you could fool us with your little game~?" Ferid queried smoothly, the intones of his voice making the hair on the back of Mika's neck stand on end, his eyes going wide.

As he drew nearer, Yuu and Mika were aware of another car arriving on the scene. With a rapid glance, Yuu saw the first to exit was Guren Ichinose. Before he could call out to him, the short, pink-haired mistress of the Shindo Manor exited the passenger seat after him. "I got tipped off from a few brats that you two might be here," Guren droned. Behind him, Shinoa and Mitsuba emerged from the car, no happier to be there than Yoichi and Shiho. As Guren's hands curled around their shoulders, Krul came forward, high heels clicking.

"Why don't you come back to the mansion, Mika?" insisted Krul, eyes gleaming, lips spread in a pearly-white smile. "I'll make sure this buffoon doesn't touch you," she said, pointing at Ferid with a sharp, pink fingernail. "As long as you commit to your studies, it can be just like it was before."

Yuu took Mika's hand. "Don't listen to them, Mika," he whispered. "You don't have to go with them."

"You can have it all back," cooed Krul, "your room, your bed… your piano. What's wrong~? I know you miss those things." Krul pouted childishly at him. When Mikaela only glared at her, gritting his teeth, Krul's welcoming demeanor turned sour. Her crimson eyes darkened, teeth glinting in the afternoon sun. "How about this? Come back with us now and none of your friends will get hurt!"

Ferid, who had been walking beside her, now moved in position to strike Krul in the back, smirking crazily, but as he raised his clawed hand in the air, a single gunshot exploded across the block.

His red eyes were bloodshot as he turned to the source. Aoi Sanguu, crouched at the foot of Guren Ichinose, had raised her pistol, smoke rising off the barrel. After staring at them for a moment, Ferid just hung his head back and laughed. He laughed at the seriousness in their expressions and how no one seemed able to move. When he stopped laughing, his glaring expression locked excitedly onto everyone around him, individually. Mika noticed the blood dripping through his black suit sleeve, through his white cuffs and down his fingertips from the arm he had raised against Krul. As Ferid's gaze locked onto Yuu and Mika, he looked ready to devour them whole.

Yuu's head flashed at Guren as he pulled Mikaela backward, shielding him from whatever Ferid had planned. Aoi stood calmly at Guren's side; Crowley was somewhat amused; Krul and Asuramaru were at a loss; Shinoa, Mitsuba, Yoichi, and Shiho as surprised as Mikaela and Mahiru.

Krul could only stammer, "Wh-what the –?!" as Ferid turned back to Yuu, raising his arm again, nails ready. With decisive motion, Guren ordered the guards to arrest Ferid, Crowley, and Krul. The guards that had come with Aoi and Guren dropped Yoichi's, Shiho's, Shinoa's, and Mitsuba's arms, dashing madly toward the Shindo servants.

Ferid realized he couldn't stay there any longer, no matter how much he wanted to tear Yuu apart. Before he even turned to flee, Crowley saluted him and Krul, disappearing in the opposite direction. "I've served my purpose here. See yah!" The guards, deciding they hadn't enough manpower to split up, locked onto Krul and Ferid.

Turning heels to the group gathered before the orphanage, the only one left was Asuramaru, who fell to his hands and knees on the sidewalk, splitting the skin open, his violet hair splayed out around him. "I-I don't understand…"

Yuichiro glanced to Guren to understand why he hadn't ordered the guards to arrest Asuramaru as well. Guren answered, "He hasn't technically committed any crimes yet, so it's impossible to charge him with some kind of arrest form."

Mika's hand fell out of Yuu's as Yuu stepped over to Asuramaru, crouching low. Hands over his ears, Asuramaru's exposed right eye searched the scene wildly. As if Asuramaru had forgotten all about what had just happened.

"You never understood, did you?" said Yuu, empathy in his citrine eyes.

Asuramaru looked into his face and staggered backward onto his rump. "Wh-what…?"

"I wasn't helping Mika for any kind of personal gain."

Asuramaru's face contorted with rage and fear, his eyes welling with tears. This was beyond Yuu's comprehension, and as he stood, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hold on, Yuichiro," said Mahiru. She stepped forward, crouched down to Asuramaru's height. "Asuramaru, was it?"

The broken teen looked at her with his similarly crimson eye.

"If you need someplace to stay, you can come back with me, okay?"

A moment passed and his face brightened, then immediately tautened back into its previous austerity. "What do you really want?" he growled.

"I want to erase the horrible things the Hiiragis have done to those who have nothing," Mahiru answered earnestly.

Asuramaru looked down the street where the culprits had disappeared, Hiiragi guards chasing after them. "What about Krul…?"

"Whether she comes back ready to face the consequences of what she's done, that choice is hers. So…" Mahiru stood, proffering her hand. Asuramaru stared. Then, slowly, took it, allowing her to lift him up and lead him to the car behind Yuu and Mika, refusing to look either of them in the face.

Guren appeared on the driver's side as Mahiru sat behind the wheel, bent down to the open window. "…Will he be okay?" he asked, gesturing to the quiet teen behind her.

"I think so," she said, eyes only on the road, her glasses blocking any view of her expression.

"What about you?" Guren further pressed.

Breathing in deeply, she took off her glasses and then smiled at him, and at Yuu and Mika on the sidewalk behind him. Though it was a wan smile, Yuu knew it was genuinely the Mahiru they knew. "Don't worry. I think I've found a cure – not for the red eyes, but for the other effects. What about your getaways?" she asked, casting Yuu and Mika a sideways glance.

"Oh, them…" Guren ran a hand through his hair. "My personal teammates will handle them. Even if we're giving them the lead, we'll make damn sure they don't escape. You can be sure of that."

"And you?" Guren's eyes widened slightly while Mahiru didn't look him in the face. "Why are you siding with my asshole brother Kureto and his automaton of a servant?" She inclined her head toward Aoi, who spoke swiftly into the microphone of the intercom in the other car for backup.

Guren chuckled. "Always on my case, aren't you?"

"I'm serious," said Mahiru. "If you hurt these boys –"

"Never fear, dearest sister," said Shinoa, approaching the car with Mitsuba at her side. "If Guren so much as _looks_ at them funny, you'll be the first to know."

Without waiting, Mahiru leapt out of the car past Guren, Yuu, and Mika, and scooped Shinoa and Mitsuba in her arms. "Thank the stars you're both all right!"

Shinoa mumbled into her lavender hair, "Thanks for all your help, sis. I know it was hard."

Mahiru exhaled what could have been a giggle or a sob. "You two stay out of trouble, okay?"

Mitsuba nodded, and when Mahiru released them, she wiped her face. "You've always been the older sister I wished I had."

Mahiru smiled at her. She looked more human than she ever had – back in Nagoya, it had always been with a certain distance that she explained or did things around Yuu and Mika. Now, she held a warmth that tamed the seven seas, even with the suffering of her past. "I'll be sure to contact you," she said as she buckled her seatbelt, back in the car. "Until then, I think I'd better stay in hiding. And Yuu, Mika…" In her eyes, they could see all the apologies she wanted to give… but she rolled those studded ruby eyes around her head instead. "Get a room."

Standing side-by-side on the sidewalk, their faces lit bright as cherries, Mahiru drove away, giggling the entire way. It didn't help at all when Shinoa and Mitsuba started trilling, "Cherry boys! Cherry boys!"

Guren came to a great realization that day, seeing how Yuu and Mika acted to the girls' teasing.

"Yuu!" Someone embraced Yuichiro from behind, his head clunking against theirs, causing him to crumble to the ground.

"Ow!"

"Yuu! I'm so glad to see you're all right!" Yoichi cried buckets of tears into Yuichiro's neck, trembling uncontrollably on top of him. Mika was stunned.

"There you idiots are!" Shiho bellowed, trotting over. Yoichi finally got off Yuu and they stood up. Yoichi still sniffled a substantial amount, and Mikaela started laughing, unable to stop himself. Yoichi laughed too, while Shiho clapped Yuichiro roughly on the back. "I can't believe you made it through, you idiot!"

"Yeah," said Yoichi, "we were so worried about you!"

Yuu reacted to that. "Worried about us? We were worried about you guys! Are you sure you're okay?! What'd they do to you?!"

"Nothing that we couldn't handle." Shiho flashed a grin, a hand to his chest.

Yoichi said, "Anyway, what were you guys doing all that time away with Shinoa's sister?"

An infinite number of embarrassing moments shot through Yuichiro's mind as the breeze blew raven bangs across their faces. Just a glimpse of Mika's face beside him, and Yuu's senses skyrocketed.

"Why are your faces all red again?!" Shiho exclaimed, stumbling back a little. "Are you two okay?!"

Shinoa stepped in, seizing the opportunity. "Why, Sir Kimizuki, it's because they –!"

"NO, NO, NO, YOU'VE GOT IT WRONG!" Yuu and Mika cried in unison, waving their arms frantically.

"– they had to get their biennial exams in Nagoya! It was _that_ time, you see~"

Yoichi and Shiho just blinked at Shinoa while Mitsuba shook her head, Yuu and Mika looking terrified. Then they all broke out in laughter.

"That was your worst joke yet, Shinoa!" Mitsuba jested, linking her arm in Shinoa's.

"You thought we would believe that?!" Shiho yipped between laughs.

Once Guren's battalion returned, having lost the three convicts on the edge of Tokyo, the doors of the orphanage opened, and the Director emerged, approaching the two boys, the orphans huddled around her. Her soft eyes surveyed Mika in the changing winds. "You know, Mikaela, now that you're free of that all nasty business… would you like to be a permanent resident of the Hyakuya Orphanage? Of course, we can look for another placement if that's what you truly wish, but it's unlikely you could go back to the Shindo Manor even if you wanted to now…"

Mika caught Yuu's wary gaze from the corner of his eye and nodded without hesitation. "Of course I would like to live with you."

Yuu jumped on him, wrapping his arms around Mika's neck.

"Ah – Yuu?!" Mika grunted. "If you don't stop that, I'll take it back!"

When Yuu leaned back, facing him, his arms encircled around Mika's neck, Yuu murmured, "Welcome home, Mika."

Basking in the afternoon sun and in each other's arms, Mika smiled, tears forming in his eyes. He never knew those words could sound so good. And there, in front of everyone, Yuu kissed Mika fully on the mouth. At first Mika pulled back, since Akane tried to shield the others – it was impossible to keep hold of Kouta and Taichi though, their faces slightly strewn yet intrigued at the scene before them. Ako and Fumie were completely clueless, while Chihiro was all but drooling beside the Director, hearts reflected in her eyes, fists clenched on either side of her. Shiho's face went blank while Yoichi bounced up and down happily, cheering a little. Shinoa and Mitsuba whooped loudly over him. The Director beamed so widely that her wrinkles were smiling, her hands folded in front of her face, tears in her eyes.

Yuu didn't care who was watching, Mika realized. So Mika went along with it, re-facing Yuichiro in full confidence, a smile on his face. This time, Yuu let Mika make the first move, slowly closing the distance until they were mere inches apart, the heat on his face growing more intense.

Yuu closed his eyes, his lips ready, Mika bumped their foreheads together instead, laughing as Yuu's eyes shot open. His face lit up in embarrassment.

"Mika!" Yuu chastised, but before he could say anything more, Mikaela interrupted him with a real kiss this time. And Yuichiro surrendered, blushing as the birds sang a song of gladness in the warmth of spring.

* * *

 **There will be an epilogue with more explanation!**

 **For one of the last times, please leave your thoughts below~**


	20. Shine

Chapter XX: **Shine**

* * *

Music cascaded down the empty corridor, seeping through the cracks around the outside of the door. Wakening Yuichiro from his slumber, he opened his eyes and rubbed drool off his chin with the back of one knuckle as a hand rummaged through messy raven hair, blinking at the drawn curtains casting only a shadow of sunlight into the room and upon the bed; it was late afternoon.

Slowly, Yuu sat up and heaved his legs over the side, pushing the black and white linens back. This sandwiched all of them in the middle, for the spot next to him was vacant. A familiar tune that emanated from the corridor, and as he approached the door, the twirling, caressing tones were filled with prolonging loneliness and questioning. The music contracted and molded, inquiring if this was real, endeavoring to dismiss the thoughts in fear that it was all a dream.

A tender feeling encompassed Yuu as he arrived at the end of the corridor to an open living space. He walked deliberately around the instrument, trailing his hands on the frame, vibrating, its cover propped open only slightly. The black grand piano obscured Yuu's view of the one producing the rich sounds until he reached the other side, and Yuu's hands found the pianist's shoulders. Mikaela tensed before relaxing beneath Yuu's grip, fluffy blond hair tickling Yuu's fingers. Yuu leaned over to read the name of piece – _The Name of Life_ by Joe Hisaishi – whilst the main theme returned, reminding him, nostalgically, of a time long in the past. The fluent motion of Mikaela's fingers brought the song to a reminiscent still; an acceptance of all that had come to pass: a happiness… yet uncertainty.

"…Are you nervous?" Yuu asked, his quiet voice loud in the spacious apartment. He bent down, his arms sliding around Mika's neck, and buried his lips in his hair before pressing his cheek against Mika's.

Mikaela shrugged slightly, holding Yuu's wrist with one hand, running his fingers over the tops of the piano keys with the other. "Yeah, kinda…"

"Hey." Yuu let go of Mika momentarily, long enough to circle around the piano bench and seat himself beside Mika. "You'll be great. I know you will."

Mika averted his face away, too overwhelmed by the gentle reassurance on Yuu's face, feeling heat on his cheeks. "I don't know…"

"Believe it, Mika," said Yuu, forcing Mika to look back over at him. "You know I can't lie to you."

Try he might, Mika couldn't argue with that.

Glancing again at the sheet of music on the stand in front of them, Yuu snatched it up, then place it in the pile of sheets on the ledge beside the music stand. Ruffling through them, he asked, "Mind if I join you?"

"Hmm?" Before Mika realized what he was doing, Yuu had placed _Maple Leaf Rag_ by Scott Joplin on the stand between them.

"I'll do the left hand, okay?" Yuu asked – though he had no intention of playing the right hand, especially since having sat on the bass side of the piano bench.

Mika's eyes shot between the sheet of music and the piano, scrambling to find the right hand's first position. "What?! Wait, Yuu –!"

Yuu wasn't waiting. "Ready, go!"

He set the song at a rapid tempo that had Mika struggling to keep up at first, but Mika soon got the hang of it. By the time Yuu's shoulder brushed against Mika's to reach the left hand's share of the piano crawl, Mika finished off each turn with a flourish. He flashed Yuu a challenging glance. When Yuu caught on, smirking, he increased the tempo of his left hand as they repeated the first few lines. Now in a whirlwind of speed, they bumped against each other both out of clumsiness and competition, missing notes, making a racket.

When section two came around, Yuu's left hand bounced all over the place trying to keep up with the tempo he had set, out of rhythm and offkey. Mikaela was already far ahead of him, but now his fingers slipped too, creating a ghoulish tune of smashing noises. They both came to a halt at the same time as their hands cramped, rolling over the keyboard in laughter, reaching for the other.

"We sound terrible!" Mikaela exclaimed.

"Are you kidding?! That was our best Joplin attempt yet!" Yuu chuckled. His arm found Mika's shoulders as Mika's found his.

Mika's laughs subsided as Yuu grinned at him. Unable to stop the pink that colored his cheeks, Mika didn't realize he was staring until Yuu noticed, his smile fading a little. Brightening again, Yuu leaned forward, kissing him on the mouth. Mika's nerves short-circuited and his head reeled at the gesture. He was still caught, dazed, when Yuu jumped up from the piano bench and headed toward their kitchen.

"Let's get some breakfast before we head over!"

Despite the brightness of the afternoon and Yuichiro's smile, Mika's stomach clenched.

* * *

 **~Libero~**

* * *

Packed full of spectators, the concert hall buzzed with excitement. Women in jeweled dresses pointed and laughed while men in tuxedos conversed on genial topics, gesturing effortlessly. Mika wore a tuxedo himself, except it wasn't excitement that his head buzzed with. He adjusted the collar every five seconds, tapped his feet on the floor. He was so nervous that everything felt itchy. Turning away from the heavy, red velvet curtain to peer onstage, Mika raised his fingernails to his mouth, and find Yuu, also in a black tuxedo, standing sideways with a hand in one pocket, face garnished by that attractive, crooked smile. He looked as stunning as ever to Mikaela – in fact, even his unruly raven hair seemed to have an extra shine to it.

"Hey, what did I tell you?" Stepping closer, Yuu put his hand on Mika's shoulder, once again cracking that dazzling smile, this time up close. "You'll do great."

People rushed past them in every direction, shouting things about camera angles and spotlights. Though he was brought back considerably by Yuu's presence, the commotion only made Mika feel more anxious. His arms stuck to his sides as he glanced around the scene, searching for an escape. "I know, but it's just that this is my debut as a concert pianist. If I mess this up –"

Yuu didn't let him finish, a steady finger to Mika's lips, which surprised him. " _Shh_. If you mess up, no one will notice."

Mika wasn't convinced. Shaking his head, he started, "But –!"

Already knowing what he was going to say, Yuu interrupted, "Mika, you practiced that thing until your hands bled. Do you remember that? You were so concerned about practicing that you forgot to cut your fingernails or even shower, and then your fingers got stuck in between the keys while you were playing! I had to bandage your hands after that."

Mika's cheeks lit up from the embarrassing – and surprisingly painful – memory. He nodded.

"Right," said Yuu, "so there's no way you're gonna mess up." He took Mika's elbows in his hands, pulling him forward until his calm green irises were inches away from Mika's frightened blue ones. Their hair tickled each other's foreheads. "Trust me, Mika. I've heard your worst mistakes and I still love how you play. No one here will be able to tell the difference, so there's nothing to worry about. I promise."

The lights backstage flickered as those in the concert hall dimmed, and the audience hummed to life with applause. Startled by the noise, Mika's gaze broke away from Yuu. His body trembled.

The orchestra was already waiting onstage as the red velvet curtain rose, but as the pianist, Mika had to enter on his own. He pulled away from Yuu's arms and stepped up to the white line on the ground marking the distinction between the dim backstage and the blinding lights onstage visible to the audience. Glancing back, Yuu smiled at him once more. Mika took a deep breath, and strode out onstage.

The lights and applause were more overwhelming than he had ever envisioned in his dreams, but as Mikaela gazed out to the cluster of faces, he was reminded of something. Once, he had thought he would be one of them: an audience member of the highest class, attending such a concert as a social function for business reasons only, trapped in the dreary routine of a cold-hearted businessman, this pure world of emotion a mere glimpse to colorless, lifeless blue eyes. Now, he stood before them, above them, and he saw the faces of the middle class too, sitting in the sections farther back, who had worked to come and enjoy this concert. The shine on their faces outclassed any money they'd spent to be there. And up above on the balcony, before he bowed, another group caught Mika's eye, to which he gave an inward smile. Yoichi and Shiho sat looking humiliated beside Shinoa and Mitsuba who stood at the edge of the balcony, screaming as loudly as they could. Other people stared at the two effervescent girls, but they seemed oblivious. In the rows behind these four were the Director, the former Hyakuya Orphans, and new faces Mika had not yet seen. Yuu had made sure they would all get seats and be there to see him…

Mikaela lifted his head, turned around, and sat down at the piano. The conductor arrived onstage, and then the audience hushed as the orchestra warmed up.

Fluid tones pounded in Mika's ears, and as they died down, everyone moving into position, Mika stared at the ivory piano keys, feeling sicker by the second.

The orchestra began the first movement of Mozart's _Concerto For Piano and Orchestra in G Major, K. 453_ with notes upbeat, dancing, and sweet. Mika added echoed notes to the orchestra after a lengthy preamble, lilting the music only very finely in the background, one that he could easily hide behind. Even when the music took on a minor key, or when he had solos, the notes were soft and didn't command much attention.

A slow sobriety dominated the second movement, which again Mikaela spent content in hiding behind the orchestra's lead throughout most of the song. His parts in this movement were even less, though his hands shook the entire time, knowing that the first and second movements were merely preliminary for third movement and finale, when the piano overtook the melody.

As Movement II came to a sluggish halt with the promise of excitement to come, there was another quick pause as everyone got into position. The orchestra set the key signature, and then the tempo, _allegretto presto_ : wicked fast. Precise and playful, this movement was surely worthy of every listener's full attention. The air of the concert hall was alight with anticipation as people sat taller in their seats, craning their necks to commend the task that had been set for each musician. As the orchestra sallied forth, Mika pushed all thoughts to the back of his mind. He focused on his breath, on the silence in the concert hall as he drowned out the music. He focused in his mind on the picture he needed to paint with his fingers, through the limitless void of air all around him. His fingers waited on the keys until the orchestra's introduction had finished and they paused to let him start. Eyes opening, heart pounding, Mika's wrist flicked in the circular motion of the first chord.

His hands started reticent and then rolled upward, bolder, to the feelings of warmth that surrounded him and faded away day by day, lingering on every part of him. Strings set the saccharine tone in certain intervals as he repeated the progression. He tapped the keys in shortened movements of dismissed thoughts, the orchestra serving as his antiphony. He sang again with the orchestra, blaring loudly against everything in song, and it repeated.

Then Mika traveled up and down the piano in triplets while the orchestra took over, giving the wistful feeling of fragmented thoughts. Then his hands split off and he was playing the melody with the orchestra with one hand, the wistful triplets with the other, thrummed like an irritated murmur in the background. He bowed to the outside again while the orchestra picked up the melody, trying to drown him out. Then together, they sang out in a pulsating sound of contending emotions that sang out and faded away with grace.

A gradual start emitted from a single clarinet which the orchestra diverted to be faster in precise counts of six, so the flute picking up where the clarinet had left off, and then an oboe after that, and all three wind instruments and the violins finished up with prompt circumstance. Counting along with his hands in his lap, Mikaela moved into position to start his part, as he too picked up the melody, repeating the motive from the previous part, which made way for the flute, then clarinet and oboe, then flute again.

Mika's fingers pounded lightly at the keyboard until he moved rapidly in the fall of the key.

His arms and shoulders jerked as the new minor tune was me with sinister strings and ominous flute, his own ominous tones creating enough dissonance for him to pause, and the orchestra to copy, louder, louder, and louder! Dissonant, the orchestra added its own voice, until everything dropped.

Then the major key returned, louder, and the music was again bursting with life, all instruments ringing out, then faded for Mika to play.

He trilled with his right hand, the left having taken up the melody, and eventually his right hand slowed to pick it. Dropping down, the orchestra blared up, attempting to sound more ostentatious than him, but Mika answered back with a true refinement that was impossible to match, and even as the orchestra complained, he continued to mutter in the back, feisty and ready for his chance. Finally, the orchestra conceded, and they agreed to share the space of sound.

The violins started, bouncing between the woodwinds, riding faster on their waves of harmony, in the classic Mozart two-note wobble. That's when Mika came in, the woodwinds echoing his every move, trying harder and harder to upend the other, yet enjoying every second of it. Mika certainly was. Though he was sweating, nerve-wracked out of his mind, he was finally excited, fully overtaken in the song – just as one should be on concert day.

He pushed his hands to move faster and faster, not an ounce of stress touching his arms, hands, or expression. Indeed, his eyebrows were knitted into complicated knots, but his teeth gritted with tenacity, his cerulean eyes on fire. He leaned forward and back, flourishing his arms, accompanying to the orchestra as the main voice this time. In the background again, he was the voice of reason, then moved faster and faster, louder and louder, the orchestra and him skipping down, then moving into a faster melody, which he copied speedily, then rang out loudly, and it repeated; starting low, bouncing back, building everyone up to the wonderful climax.

Skipping down again, the third time as it built up, everyone rattled back and forth the harmony of agreeable, contending positions. The first melody returned, and Mika was loud as he asked one more time if this was the end, the orchestra answered yes, to which he asked again, this time cutting the end shorter. The orchestra answered again, longer, ringing "yes!"

The audience exploded as Mika sat back with sweat pouring down his face, and immediately the conductor turned around and stood aside with a hand outstretched to him. Bashful and exhausted, Mika stood, taking a bow. Unable to believe the smiles and applause that radiated at him from every direction, he smiled, allowing the energy of a thousand kindred spirits to devour him whole.

* * *

 **~Fine~**

* * *

The Shinoa Squad and Director came running with tears in their eyes. Well, tears were in Mika's eyes too. He gave them hugs and kisses and thanked them for coming, relieved he hadn't made a fool of himself.

The others exclaimed over and over how brilliant his performance had been, and for once Mika believed their compliments, for he had tasted, breathed, heard, and seen it all in concert hall that night.

Behind everyone else stood Yuichiro. His smile was different from before, Mika noticed, though he barely noticed the bouquet of flowers in Yuu's hands until he lowered his gaze.

"Great job, Mika," said Yuu simply, handing Mika the flowers.

Mika took them and raised them to his face, tried smelling them, but when he looked back up at Yuu, he hugged him without restraint. "Thanks… Yuu."

Slightly stunned, there was only love and admiration in his eyes as he hugged Mika back. "You were great."

"Only thanks to you."

"Aw, look at the lovebirds," Shinoa crooned.

"Like you should talk," Yuu muttered when him and Mika broke apart, referring to her and Mitsuba's linked hands. Unable to come up with a feasible retort, Shinoa turned away, red in the face. Mitsuba giggled. "Someone else came too."

Yuu and Mika turned around to see Mahiru and Asuramaru. "Oh, what a surprised…" Yuu trailed off. _The last time was…_ That warm and windy spring afternoon when they had faced off with the Shindos, ready to fight them hand-in-hand, came to Yuichiro's mind. The singular gunshot that chased Ferid, Krul, and Crowley into oblivion echoed through his ears.

"Yeah," said Mahiru, shrugging her slender shoulders, nonchalant. She wore an elegant, dark azure dress that contrasted with the light lavender locks of hair coiled around her shoulders. When she grinned, her teeth showed white against dark maroon lipstick. Silver earrings dangled against her neck, lighting up her crimson eyes. "You were wonderful, Mika."

He was bashful when he said, "Thanks." His concern was sincere as Mika tactfully asked, "how have you been?"

The short teen beside Mahiru answered instead. "Stuck in the middle of nowhere!" grumbled Asuramaru. "There's barely anything to do in that stupid shack-of-a-house, even if we are right next to Nagoya City. Oh, but I really liked coming out to see you, Mika!"

"Th-thanks," Mika stammered, unsure how to react to so much praise in one day.

"Oh Asura, you're so cute in that little tux!" hummed Shinoa, standing beside him.

"Sh-shuddup!" he cried out of embarrassment.

"I'm afraid she's right, Asuramaru," joined in Yoichi. Lifting the hair covering Asuramaru's left eye, Yoichi grinned as the shorter teen's cheeks reddened. "You look especially cute with that ponytail too!"

Asuramaru staggered away from Shinoa and Yoichi, his hands on his head. "Wh-wha –!"

"Hey, leave the poor kid alone," interjected Shiho coolly.

Eyes shining, Asuramaru turned to him in reverence. "Kimizuki! I knew you would understand what it feels like to be teased for your unconventional fashion style!"

"Wh-what was that?!" Shiho fumed, raising his arms on either side of him.

Shinoa, Mitsuba, Yoichi, Mahiru, Asuramaru, Yuu, and Mika laughed at his sharply timed reaction.

The past Hyakuya Orphans all offered their congratulations to Mikaela, most of them pursuing careers in college now. Chihiro made an especially big deal about it all, shaking Mika's hand until he practically yanked it away, saying she always looked forward to another fencing tournament. As she sauntered away, she winked at Yuu and giving him the thumbs-up, indicating he'd chosen well – to which Akane apologized for. Many of the guests who walked by their group outside the concert hall flitted over to put in a good word to Mika for his piano-playing, which made him blush profusely, a hand behind his head, unable to respond with much other than a humble "Thank you." Even some of the other orchestra members came to clap Mika on the back, congratulating him on his first concert performance. One of them, a high-strung man about two years older than Yuichiro and Mikaela, had his brown hair pulled back into a ponytail that flayed out around the back of his skull. Him and four other associates hovered around Mika for an especially long time, praising him until it was overkill. Finally, they inquired if Mika planned on taking part in their next concert, to which Mika gave a hearty nod. Although he acted a little awkward around them, especially Narumi, the man who had initially come over, Yuu was relieved to see Mika had some other people to talk to in his line of work.

At last, the Director offered one of the home-cooked pumpkin pies that Mika had come to love when he'd stayed at the orphanage his last year of high school, and with thoughts of the past in mind, surrounded by flowers and the aroma of pie, Mika spun in a cloud of vertigo on the car ride back home.

"Mahiru and Asuramaru seem to be getting on well," commented Yuu, hands on the steering wheel, eyes on the road.

"You think so?"

"Yeah."

It was winter, so the world around them was frozen solid and sparkling white. Though it was already incredibly dark, the car lights guided them back to their apartment on the edge of town.

"When we get back, I have something special waiting for you," said Yuu, somewhat embarrassed. "Since you said you didn't want to go out to eat anywhere, even on your big day."

"Oh… Yuu?"

"Hm?" Yuichiro looked at Mikaela, but seeing his gaze was lost in the flowers Yuu, the orphans, and band members had gotten him, Yuu turned back to the car lights on the darkened road, leading on their journey back home. He wanted to ask Mika what he was thinking about, what lay behind those lidded, cerulean eyes, but he knew Mika would tell him with time.

It had begun to snow, so Mika snuggled down in his coat with his food and flowers. _He looks like an Eskimo,_ Yuu chuckled to himself.

Cheeks flushed, Mika took a moment to answer in the silence.

"…Where do you think they are?"

Somehow, Yuu knew exactly whom he meant. By his muted tone, it was obvious to Yuu that Mika was thinking about their junior year. "Who knows… but Guren searched day and night to ensure Ferid, Krul, and Crowley are found. He won't let them escape the next time they turn up. They'll be put behind bars once found. Don't worry, Mika."

Mika took Yuu's assurance as a grain of salt. "You know I still don't trust Guren."

"I know." Yuu paused. Mika's gaze hadn't moved from the brightly pigmented red, pink, and white flower petals hovering just beneath his nose. "But he did save us, back then…"

"It was one time," Mika scoffed.

"Yeah, but if not for that one time, then we…"

Mika knew what Yuu was about to say. When he leaned over, the plastic lining around the flowers crinkled. He pressed a hand to Yuu's cheek. "I know, there may have been a much different outcome that day. I'm thankful to him for intervening at that time, but… I'm afraid of when his ego gets the best of him, and he comes to ask us for the return favor."

Yuu shook his head. "That won't happen."

Mika was worried. "How can you be so sure?"

"It was Mahiru and Shinoa who asked Guren to help us that day," explained Yuu. "If anyone owes him, it's them."

Mika made a face. "That's almost worse."

"They're happy to take the hit for us. And besides, Guren won't ask anything of Mahiru. And since he won't ask anything of Mahiru, he won't ask anything of Shinoa either."

Mika watched the side of Yuu's face as they drove on. The green lights of the tunnel they had entered flickered over his face. How stoic he seemed to Mikaela, his hardened citrine eyes fixed upon the road, sitting with his back so tall…

When they arrived back at the apartment, Yuu presented Mika with his favorite dish: a plate of rice swathed in yellow curry. They ate quietly but comfortably in the dining area beside the grand piano and open kitchen, only the sounds of chewing, occasional gulp of food, and clinking of eating utensils disturbing the silence. About halfway through his plate, Yuu realized Mikaela was eating more meticulously than usual. Yuu set his chopsticks down. "You're still thinking about them, aren't you?"

This startled Mika, who hadn't realized he'd been spacing out. "Huh…? How did you know…?"

Yuu smiled bitterly. "Oh Mika…"

Mika looked down at his plate. "I just can't help but wonder… where they are."

"It's been five years," said Yuu, scooping up a piece of meat with his chopsticks. "If they even _think_ of coming anywhere near you, they'll get one of my prized electric guitars in the face." He popped the piece of beef into his mouth, satisfied with himself. "It'd be a great sacrifice," he continued on, joking, "but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. That freaky pedophile of a butler needs to be put in his place." When Mika gave no reaction to this, Yuu set his elbow on the table, his chopsticks smothered in curry sauce. "You aren't a child anymore, so not even your parents could order them to control you."

Mika jolted a little in his seat. "My parents…"

"Yeah." Lifting his bowl to his face, Yuichiro shoveled rice and curry sauce down his throat.

"…Do you ever think of your parents anymore, Yuu?"

Yuichiro choked a little as he dropped his plate and chopsticks. The look on his face was akin to someone who had just been told their youngest sibling was adopted.

"What?" asked Mika, uncomprehending.

"What kind of question is that?!"

"I don't know," said Mika unsurely, shrugging, now a little embarrassed.

"I think about my parents sometimes," admitted Yuu, "but definitely not as much as I used to. Besides, my mom's been dead for almost eight years now. There's no point in thinking about it."

"What about your dad?" Mika pressed. "He's still in prison, isn't he?"

Yuu wiped his mouth and stared at Mika for a long time in earnest. "Mika, what's bothering you?"

Mika said nothing, combating the lost feelings that had been waging war inside him for a while now.

"Please tell me you're not thinking of contacting your parents," said Yuu. "The parents who ordered servants like Ferid and Krul to take care of you in the first place."

"No, that's not it…"

Yuichiro searched Mikaela's face. He just had an amazing performance, certainly one of the best Yuu had ever heard. They were away from the prying eyes of the public, away from whatever remained of the Shindo Corporation, all alone in the apartment they'd bought not a year ago… Under the protection of Guren, Mahiru, and Shinoa, not even the Hiiragis could bother them. Mika's dream job of becoming a concert pianist was now a reality, something he had never considered a possibility until Yuichiro had repeatedly pushed him in college to pursue it – Mika just wasn't cut out for a job in the detached world of business, despite that had been what he'd been preparing for all his life. They were still paying off college debt. Yuu worked tirelessly selling his music memorabilia, including all of what he had owned at the orphanage. He auctioned those and other gems off on online websites and even had a part-time job, but he still had enough time to pursue his interest in musical composition in his spare time, especially now that Mikaela had his job as a concert pianist.

Sure, Yuu wished they didn't have to live so secretly at times, but there was nothing unbearably constricting about their situation…

Nevertheless, Mika still sat there, fidgeting in his seat, not sure if the uncertainty he felt from his past lifestyle was valid or even real anymore.

Was there something still missing? Something Yuu had forgotten?

…There wasn't.

Yuu's head lowered. In the reflection of one of the wall-length glass windows behind the piano, darkened by night, Yuu's silhouette stood and passed to the other side of the table. Leaning over Mikaela now, one hand on the table, one on the back of Mika's chair, Mika slowly turned his head up toward Yuu, not sure what was going on. Those blue eyes widened when Yuu pushed their lips together, his tongue bypassing Mika's soft lips. Mika took hold of Yuu's shoulders, nearly knocking over his chair, lips covered in saliva. Suddenly sweaty, Mika pushed hungrily into Yuu's mouth, backing them into the wall. Yuu gasped when Mika's hips made contact with his. Mikaela was completely overtaken by the sensation that rattled up and down his body now, the lost memories of before washed away, and he moaned unwarrantedly. Yuu took the opportunity and flipped them around, Mika's back against the wall now. Yuu's lips moved expertly down Mika's neck and jugular, his fingers pinching his shirt to expose Mika's skin, and Mika surrendered himself entirely Yuu, when he moved up again to his chin. Mikaela shuddered and hissed at every jerk of Yuu's lips and fingers, which found his wrists. He held Mika's arms in place, despite efforts to challenge him.

Mika was sure he was beyond the point of no return, but he regained enough clarity to wriggle out from beneath Yuu's hold and looked at him. They surprised the other, their eyes so laced with desire. They stared, not used to having seen each other in such a state.

Ever so slowly, Yuu's grip loosened on Mika's wrists. He saw the marks he had left on Mika's skin and backed away in shame. So Mika took Yuu's hand.

He led Yuu down the hall, where musical equipment littered the floors of their bedroom, covers and pillows scattered about the bed. He coaxed Yuu gently, and wrapped in the other's warmth, the litany of their souls gradually sang out in the cold moonlight, an elegy of sharp cries and heated whispers. Yuichiro felt complete when Mika's body was close to his.

Labored breaths in his ears, Yuu's eyes fluttered open, and Mika smiled warmly at him, panting too, lightly stroking his chin. And their lips connected again, reigniting the flames between them.

Yuu thought he wanted to live life alone, surrounded by a purity he couldn't even touch. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he knew what he wanted, a life free of any personal ties or anything that would anchor him to the pain of his past, the music that had been his only friend all those years simply wouldn't let him. It reached out to him, begging him to understand, but those glazed, citrine eyes had glanced hopelessly upon the orphanage each passing day, the wind whipping his hair in his face, doing its best to tear him down.

This was not the pure life he had imagined back then on that lonely street. It wasn't the life he'd imagined when the notes of Mikaela's soul had enveloped him that early fall afternoon in the school.

No. This was so much more.

Music was second best.

* * *

 **This fanfiction was a joke when I started it. Just another fanfic for my OTP, me trying to understand how romantic relationships work in literature, since I'm not particularly romance-savvy in real life. The idea hit me by random. I was playing the piano,** _ **Silver-Haired Lullaby**_ **by Yoshihiro Hirano, and out of nowhere, an image of Mikaela sitting at a piano suddenly came to mind. I tried to push the idea away, since I was busy with schoolwork, tragedy that had occurred over the summer, and my past MikaYuu fic, but subconsciously, I began to construct a grand design of this world in which Mikaela was the lonely pianist whose emotions came out clearest in his beautiful music.**

 **By the time I thought about how Yuichiro would react to Mika playing piano, I was losing my mind, so I started the first chapter. The deeper I delved into this world, populated by the alternates of OnS characters, I found myself writing situations that had happened to me. It stopped being about the romance… but how I, through Mika and Yuu, was going to get past these things in my life. I knew how closely my fanfiction aligned with my thoughts before, but** _ **Ebony & Ivory**_ **ramped this up tenfold, for it was all I had during my junior year of high school.**

 **Throughout the course of this story, I've lost so many people who were important to me. And I have come to realize and accept so many things about myself that I could have never imagined. My writing has grown a great deal over the past year thanks to** _ **Ebony & Ivory**_ **, but the benefit I have reaped out of it is so much more than that.**

 **To spoil it for you, this was a story about recovery. There will always be things and people you cannot change, but learning to deal with them rather than ignore them, you will eventually find your inner peace.** **I'm not quite there yet… but don't let the bad things drag you down. Accept them for what they are, and move on. Acceptance is the hardest step, but you can do it. I believe in you.**

 **I would love to hear your personal takeaways from the fic, what "morals of the story" you have uncovered, and why, if you can provide it! Every opinion I've heard thus far has been so interesting! And so, for the final time, I would like to ask you for your feedback. This story is very dear to me, but it is always my first objective to improve my writing** **–** **and perhaps myself** **–** **with every chapter.**

 **This was originally an "After Someone Reads Your Book" list of questions, but even if you don't fill out all of them, I would appreciate any input you could give on the entirety of the story, characters, plot, or anything else.**

* * *

 **1\. At what point did you feel like "Ah, now the story has really begun!"**

 **2\. What were the points you found yourself skimming?**

 **3\. Which setting in the fic was clearest to you as you were reading it? Which do you remember the best? (** **PLEASE ANSWER THIS ONE I AM SO CURIOUS** **.)**

 **4\. Which character would you most like to meet and get to know, and why?**

 **5\. What was the most suspenseful moment in the fic?**

 **6\. If you had to pick one character to get rid of, who would you ax, and why?**

 **7\. Was there a situation in the fic that reminded you of something in your own life?**

 **8\. Where did you stop reading the first time you clicked on the webpage?**

 **9\. What was the last fanfiction you read before this? And what did you think of it/in relation to this fic?**

 **10\. Finish this sentence: "I kept reading because…"**

* * *

 **My next fanfiction for** _ **Seraph of the End**_ **will likely be my long postponed update of** _ **Lacrimosa**_ **, my Assassin's Creed AU,** **or the Mitsunoa fic that I've been planning, titled** _ **The Spirit of the River**_ **. I'm still working on both and have been quite busy.**

 **Half the reason I've gotten this far is thanks to my readers, who have encouraged and stuck with me on this journey of self-discovery and recovery. It's been a wild ride.**

 **Thank you all, for everything.**

 _ **[Fin]**_


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